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SCIENCES 
LIBRARY 


A  MANUAL  OF 

PRECIOUS    STONES 


AND 


ANTIQUE     GEMS. 


LONDON  : 

GILBERT  AND   RIVINGTON,   PRINTERS, 
ST.   JOHN'S   SQUARE. 


THE   DEVONSHIRE    GEMS. 


Wl 

A  MANUAL  OP 

PRECIOUS     STONES 


AND 


ANTIQUE    GEMS. 


HODDER  M.  WESTROPP, 

'        M 

ATTTHOB  OF  "HANDBOOK  OF  AECH.EOLOGY,"  "PEE-HISTOEIC  PHASES.' 


Eontton : 
SAMPSON  LOW,   MAKSTON,   LOW,   &   SEARLE, 

CROWN  BUILDINGS,  188,  FLEET  STREET. 

1874. 

[All  rights  reserved.'] 


ENCES 


PREFACE. 

I  HAVE  been  induced  to  compile,  for  the  benefit  of  amateurs 
and  collectors  of  antique  gems,  a  concise  account  of  precious 
stones  and  antique  gems ;  those  usually  called  hard  or  fine 
stones,  and  also  of  some  other  stones  and  substances  which 
cannot  be  comprised  under  the  head  of  precious  stones,  but 
are  frequently  used  in  jewellery,  and  for  ornamental  and 
glyptic  purposes. 

In  this  compilation  I  have  frequently  adopted  the  words 
of  the  best  authorities,  Dana,  Bristow,  Mr.  Maskelyne,  and 
others.  In  the  second  part  I  have  noticed  the  principal 
precious  stones,  and  other  substances  employed  for  glyptic 
purposes,  known  to  the  ancients,  and  described  by  ancient 
writers,  and  have  attempted  an  identification  of  them  with 
those  known  to  mineralogists  of  the  present  day,  in  which 
I  am  much  indebted  to  the  writings  of  Mr.  King  and 
Mr.  Maskelyne. 

In  all  ages  precious  stones  and  engraved  gems  have  been 
favourites  of  men  of  taste,  not  only  for  the  transcendent 
beauty  of  colour  and  the  brilliancy  displayed  in  these  stones, 
but  also  for  the  art  exhibited  in  the  engravings  on  them. 
Even  warriors  in  ancient  times  testified  their  admiration  of 
gems  and  precious  stones.  Alexander  the  Great  was  a 

M56315 


PREFACE. 


great  patron  of  the  glyptic  art  displayed  in  them,  and  such 
an  admirer  of  gems,  that  he  would  allow  no  artist  but 
Pyrgoteles  to  engrave  his  royal  countenance,  and  that  only 
on  an  emerald.  Mithridates  was  a  great  gem  collector. 
The  gems  and  precious  stones  acquired  by  Pompey's  con- 
quest of  his  dominions  were  the  first  that  gave  the  Romans 
a  taste  for  these  precious  objects.  Julius  Cassar  was  an 
enthusiastic  collector  of  gems  and  other  works  of  art,  six 
cabinets  of  which  he  dedicated  in  the  temple  of  his  patron 
goddess,  Venus  Victrix.  Augustus,  Maecenas,  and  Hadrian, 
were  also  gem  collectors:  though  Maecenas  passionately  loved 
gems,  the  sight  of  his  emeralds,  beryls,  and  pearls,  he 
declared,  could  not  console  him  for  the  departure  of 
Horace.  Among  the  Romans  in  the  time  of  Pliny  there 
was  quite  a  rage  for  precious  stones  and  engraved  gems, 
Roman  Senators  outvying  one  another  in  the  extravagant 
prices  given  for  them.  Nonius,  a  Roman  Senator,  was 
content  to  suffer  proscription  and  exile  rather  than  give  up 
to  Antonius  a  priceless  opal  which  he  possessed. 

In  modern  times  we  find  the  Medici,  Frederick  the 
Great,  Winkelman,  Goethe,  Visconti,  devoting  their  atten- 
tion to  this  exquisite  branch  of  art. 

A  century  ago  men  of  rank  and  wealth  in  this  country 
were  vying  with  each  other  in  collecting  antique  gems. 
The  Dukes  of  Marlborough  and  of  Devonshire,  the  Duke  of 
Montague,  the  Earls  of  Carlisle  and  Besborough,  and  Lord 
Algernon  Percy,  were  among  the  noblemen  whom  culti- 
vated tastes  induced  thus  to  expend  wealth  on  collections  of 
classical  and  archaeological  interest.  In  the  last  few  years 
a  fresh  impulse  has  been  given  to  their  study  in  England  by 


PREFACE.  ix 


the  publication  of  Mr.  King's  works  on  Precious  Stones  and 
Antique  Gems,  and  by  the  acquisition  of  a  wonderful 
collection,  the  Blacas,  by  the  British  Museum. 

A  number  of  collectors  of  the  last  few  years  and  of  the 
present  day  may  be  enumerated,  who  are  the  fortunate 
possessors  of  some  priceless  and  exquisite  gems.  Mr. 
Townly,  Mr.  Payne  Knight,  Mr.  Hamilton,  Mr.  Hertz, 
Mr.  Rhodes,  Mr.  King,  Mr.  Maskelyne,1  Mr.  Beresford 
Hope,  the  Rev.  C.  H.  Townshend,  in  England ;  the  Duke 
de  Luynes,  the  Duke  de  Blacas,  the  Count  de  Pourtales, 
M.  Fould,  M.  Roger,  in  France;  Cardinal  Antonelli  and 
Signer  Castellani  in  Italy. 

Among  the  most  famous  public  collections  we  may 
mention  the  Florentine,  the  Berlin,  the  Bibliotheque,  Paris, 
the  St.  Petersburg,  the  Hague,  the  British  Museum,  the 
Museum,  Naples  ;  and  among  private,  the  Marlborough,  the 
Devonshire,  the  Royal. 

1  Mr.  Maskelyne's  collection  is  not  only  remarkable  for  the 
exquisite  specimens  of  glyptic  art  it  contains,  but  also  for  the 
beauty  of  the  stones  themselves,  which  have  been  selected  with 
deep  mineralogical  knowledge. 


CONTENTS. 


PRECIOUS    STONES. 

NON-METALLIC  MINERALS. 


Carbon : 


Diamond,  page  1. 
Bort,  9. 

Alumina : 

White  Sapphire,  15. 

Yellow  Sapphire,  or  Oriental 
Topaz,  16. 

Green  Sapphire,  or  Oriental 
Emerald,  16. 

Sea-green  Sapphire,  or  Ori- 
ental Aquamarine,  17. 

Aluminates  of  Magnesia : 

Spinel  Ruby,  18. 
Balas  Ruby,  18. 

Aluminates  of  Glucina : 
Chrysoberyl,  19. 


Carbonado,  9. 


Lemon-coloured  Sapphire,  or 

Oriental  Peridot,  17. 
Blue  Sapphire,  13. 
Ruby,  or  red  Sapphire,  10. 
Star  Sapphire,  17. 
Star  Ruby,  17. 
Girasol,  17. 


Rubicelle,  18. 
Almandine,  18. 


Cymophane,  19. 


Silicates  of  Alumina,  Magnesia,  Lime,  Iron  : 

Garnet,  20.  Essonite,  21. 

Carbuncle,  21.  Hyacinthine  Garnet,  21. 

Almandine,  21.  Star  Garnet,  21. 

Siriam,  21.  Vermeille,  21. 
Pyrope,  21. 


CONTENTS. 


Silicates  of  Alumina  and  Glucina  : 

Emerald,  23.  Yellow  Beryl,  25. 

Beryl,  25.  Euclase,  25. 

Aquamarine,  25. 

Silicates  of  Alumina  and  Fluorine  : 

White  Topaz,  26.  Pink  Topaz,  26. 

Yellow  Topaz,  26. 
Blue  Topaz,  or  Brazilian  Sap- 
phire, 26. 

Silicates  of  Magnesia  : 

Chrysolite,  27.  Olivine,  28. 

Peridot,  27. 

Silicate  of  Alumina,  Magnesia,  and  Iron : 
lolite,  30. 

Silicates  of  Zirconia  : 

White  Jargoon,  28.  Ked     Jargoon,     or     Jacinth- 

Yellow  Jargoon,  28.  Hyacinth,  28. 

Green  Jargoon,  28. 

Silicates  of  Alumina  with  Boracic  Acid  : 

Yellow  Tourmaline,  30.  Red  Tourmaline,  or  Eubellite,  29. 

Green  Tourmaline,  30.  Blue  Tourmaline,  or  Indicolite,  30. 

Silicate  of  Alumina : 

Kyamte,  31. 
Silicates  of  Alumina,  Potash,  Soda : 

Moonstone,  31.  Amazon  Stone,  31. 

Sunstone,  31. 

Silicate  of  Alumina,  Magnesia,  Lime : 
Hyperstene,  32. 

Silicate  of  Lime,  Magnesia  : 

Diopside,  32. 
Silicate  of  Alumina,  Iron,  Lime,  Magnesia: 

Idocrase,  32. 


CONTENTS. 


Silicate  of  Lime,  Magnesia,  Iron  : 
Crocidolite,  31. 

Silicate  of  Alumina,  Soda,  Lime  with  Sulphur  : 
Lapis  Lazuli,  32. 

Silicate  of  Magnesia  (hydrous) : 
Noble  Serpentine,  33, 

Silicate  of  Magnesia  (anhydrous)  : 
Jade,  Nephrite,  33. 

Silicate  of  Alumina  and  Magnesia  : 
Jadeite,  34. 

Silicates  of  Alumina,  Lime,  Soda : 

Labrador,  35.  Obsidian,  35. 

Silicate  of  Alumina  and  Potash  : 
Agalmatolite,  35. 

Silicate  of  Magnesia : 
Steatite,  36. 

Sulphate  of  Lime : 

Selenite,  36. 
Phosphate  of  Alumina  : 

Turquoise,  blue,  green,  36. 

Bone,  coloured  "by  copper : 

Odontolite,  or  Bone  Turquoise,  37. 

SILICA. 
Vitreous  Quartz : 

Eock  Crystal  40.  Iris,  42. 

Amethyst,  40.  Eubasse,  42. 

Citrine,  42.  Avanturine,  42. 

Cairngorm,  or  Yellow  Quartz,  41.    Prase,  43. 


CONTENTS. 


Chalcedonic  Quartz: 

Chalcedony  (White  or  Grey), 43. 

Sapphirine,   or    Blue  Chalce- 
dony, 43. 

Carnelian,  44. 
Light  Eed,  44. 
Dark  Red,  44. 

Sard,  44. 

Sardonyx,  45. 

Onyx,  44. 

Chalcedonyx,  45. 

Jasper  Onyx,  46. 

Nicolo,  46. 

Plasma,  46. 

Jaspery  Qua/rtz : 
Jasper,  50. 
Eed  Jasper,  51. 
Yellow  Jasper,  51. 
Green  Jasper,  51. 
Egyptian  Pebble,  51. 

Hydrous  SiUca : 
Opal,  38. 

Noble  or  Precious  Opal,  38. 
Harlequin  Opal,  38. 
Golden  Opal,  38. 
Common  Opal,  38. 


Heliotrope,  47. 
Agate,  47. 

Moss  Agate,  49. 

Ribbon  Agate,  49. 

Eye  Agate,  49. 

Fortification  Agate,  49. 

Zoned  or  Banded  Agate,  49. 

Brecciated  Agate,  49. 

Jasper  Agate,  46. 
Mocha  Stone,  49. 
Cat's  Eye,  50. 
Chrysoprase,  50. 


Ribbon  or  Banded  Jasper,  51. 
Bloodstone,  51. 
Porcellanite,     or    Porcelain 
Jasper,  52. 


Matrix  of  Opal,  39. 
Fire  Opal,  39. 
Hyalite,  39. 
Hydrophane,  39. 
Cacholong,  39. 


METALLIC  MINERALS. 


Iron : 

Magnetite,  52. 
Haematite,  52. 

Copper : 

Dioptase,  52. 

Silicate  of  Copper. 
Malachite,  53. 

Green  Carbonate  of  Copper. 


Marcasite,  52. 


Azurite,  53. 

Blue  Carbonate  of  Copper. 


CONTENTS. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


PAGE 

Adamas        .... 

Corundum 

.       58 

Carbunculus  Indicus    . 

The  Kuby 

.       62 

The  Spinel 

62 

Hyacinthus  .... 

The  Sapphire  . 

.      63 

*,    Chrysolithus 

The  Yellow  Sapphire 

.      65 

i    Astrion         .... 

The  Star  Sapphire   . 

.      65 

Lychnis        .... 

The  Balas  Euby 

.      66 

Asteria         .... 

The  Cymophane 

.      66 

j,  Smaragdus   .... 

The  Emerald    .         . 

.      67 

?  Beryllus        .... 

The  Beryl 

.      70 

Carbunculus  Garamanticus  . 

The  Garnet 

.      71 

7    Topazios       .... 

Chrysolite 

.      74 

j   Topazios  Prasoides 

Peridot     .... 

.      75 

tt>  Chrysoprasius 

Green  Jargoon 

.      76 

Melichrysos 

Yellow  Jargoon 

.      76 

Lyncurium   .... 

. 

.      76 

'J.Sapphirus     .... 

Lapis  Lazuli     . 

.      77 

Solis  Gemma 

Moonstone 

.      78 

Selenites      .... 

Adularia  .... 

.      78 

Sandastros  (Male) 

Sunstone 

.      79 

'  c  Chrysoprasius 

Amazon  Stone  .         .         . 

.      79 

Nilion  

Jade          .... 

.       80 

Tanos  

Jadeite     . 

.      81 

Callais          .... 

Turquoise 

.      81 

Callaina        .         ... 

Green  Turquoise 

.      81 

Opalus          .         .         . 

Opal          .         .        .        . 

.      83 

Mithrax        .        .        .         . 

Matrix  of  Opal 

.      84 

Anthracitis  .... 

Hydrophane 

.      85 

Crystallus    .... 

Crystal     .... 

.      85 

f  %  Amethystus 

Amethyst 

.      86 

Craterites     .... 

Yellow  Crystal 

.      89 

xvi                                           CONTENTS. 

• 

PAGE 

Iris        

Iris  . 

.      90 

Sandastros  (Female)    . 

Avanturine 

.      90 

Sandaresos  . 

Green  Avanturine 

.       91 

Sardius          .... 

Sard 

.      91 

Sardonyx      .... 

. 

.      94 

Onyx     ...... 

. 

.     103 

Jasp-onyx     .... 

. 

.     103 

Beli  Oculus  .... 

Eye  Onyx 

.     104 

^Egyptilla    .... 

Nicolo 

.     104 

Prasius          .... 

Plasma 

.     105 

Prasius  Sanguineis  Punctis  . 

Heliotrope 

.     106 

Jaspis  

Chalcedonies      of 

different 

colours 

.     106 

Achates        .... 

Agate 

.     108 

Astrobolos    .... 

Cat's  Eye 

.     110 

Jasper  

. 

.     110 

Molochites    .... 

Green  Jasper    . 

.    112 

Heliotropium 

Bloodstone 

.     113 

Smaragdus  Medicus 

Malachite 

.     114 

Haematites    .... 

Hematite 

.     114 

Magnes         .... 

Magnetite 

.     114 

Obsidianum  .... 

Obsidian  . 

.     115 

Gagates        .    "    . 

Jet   . 

.     116 

Succinum      .... 

Amber 

.        .        .     117 

Corallium     .... 

Coral 

.     121 

Margarita     .... 

Pearl 

.     122 

Murrhina      .... 

Fluor  Spar 

.    124 

Onyx    .         .         .         .         . 

Oriental  Alabaster 

.     132 

Basanites     .         .        . 

Basalt 

.    134 

Porphyrites  Leptosephos     . 

Porphyry  . 

.     134 

Ophites         .... 

Serpentine 

.    135 

Svenites 

Granite    . 

136 

A  MANUAL  OF 

PKECIOUS    STONES 


AND 


ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


THE  DIAMOND: 


THE  diamond  is  pure  carbon  crystallized.     It  is  found  both 
in   regular  crystalline   forms,  and  in  an  amorphous    state. 


(i) 


Crystals  of  the  Diamond. 


The  crystals  are  principally  octahedrons  and  dodecahedrons.1 

1  According  to  Professor  Goeppert,  ("  On  the  Vegetable  Nature  of 
Diamonds,")  experiments  show  that  diamonds  cannot  be  produced  by 
Plutonic  agency,  as  they  become  black  when  subjected  to  a  high 
degree  of  temperature.  That  they  are,  on  the  contrary,  of  Neptunian 
origin,  and  were  at  one  time  in  a  soft  condition,  is  proved  not  only 

B 


PRECIOUS  STONES. 


The  most  famous  mines  of  India  were  those  of  Golconda, 
in  the  territory  of  the  Nizam;  and  at  Raolcondal,  near 
Visiapoor,  in  the  Mahratta  empire.  Diamonds  also  occur  in 
Bundelcund,  near  Panna,  and  in  the  Mahanuddy,  near  Ellore. 

By  far  the  largest  quantity  are,  however,  now  imported 
into  Europe  from  the  Brazils.  They  are  found  mostly  in 
alluvial  soil  derived  from  the  materials  brought  down  from 
the  hills  bordering  the  higher  parts  of  the  valleys  in  the 
district  of  Cerro  di  Fria,  Minas  Geraes,  and  San  Paulo,  and 
in  the  beds  of  rivers.2 


•  '  by  ihb'  impression  of  grains  of  sand  and  crystals  on  the  surface  of 
( ,  ,  them,  .but  also  by  the  enclosure  of  certain  foreign  bodies,  such  as 

•  fc'.otJ4erf  dry-stals,  ^germinating  fungi,  and  even  vegetable  structures  of 

a  higher  organization.  If  Professor  Goeppert's  conclusions  be  ac- 
cepted, confirming  and  extending  as  they  do  the  views  held  by  New- 
ton, Brewster,  and  Liebig,  diamonds  seem  to  be  the  final  product  of 
the  chemical  decomposition  of  vegetable  substances.  Professor 
Morris  writes,  however  ("  On  Gems  and  Precious  Stones  "),  "  The 
supposition  that  the  diamond  has  been  derived  from  organic  matter 
must  not  be  adopted  too  hastily.  The  crystallized  carbon  may  have 
been  produced  by  condensation  from  a  state  of  vapour,  or  by  the 
gradual  displacement  of  carbon,  from  its  combination  with  chlorine 
or  sulphur  by  some  other  element,  or,  as  suggested  by  Professor 
Maskelyne  in  the  following  passage : — '  There  is  another  direction  iu 
which  the  production  of  the  diamond  may  be  looked  for.  It  is  well 
known  that  iron,  when  surcharged  with  carbon,  though  it  may  dis- 
solve it  in  a  state  of  fusion,  deposits  the  excess  of  carbon  when  it 
cools,  but  in  the  graphitic  modification.  Some  other  metal,  or  some 
change  in  the  conditions  with  the  same  metal,  might  cause  the  ex- 
trusion of  the  carbon  in  the  form  of  diamond/  "  In  illustration  of 
this  suggestion,  Mr.  Morris  exhibited  a  fine  specimen  of  crystallized 
graphite,  prepared  by  Mr.  David  Forbes  from  its  solution  in  iron 
at  a  high  temperature,  and  subsequently  cooling.  The  varieties  of 
crystalline  forms  would  infer  a  slow  process  and  freedom  of  motion 
among  the  molecules,  due  to  a  viscous  state. 

2  Until  lately  the  diamond  had  never  been  traced  to  its  matrix, 
but  this  has  now  been  done  in  at  least  two  instances  in  Brazil.  The 
first  was  in  1839,  and  the  rock  which  contained  it  was  described  by 


THE  DIAMOND. 


The  Brazilian  diamonds  are  of  different  specific  gravity 
to  the  Indian,  and  are  inferior  in  lustre  and  brilliancy. 
Diamonds  of  the  best  quality  come  from  Borneo  (Sarawak). 
Diamonds  are  also  found  in  the  gravels  and  sands  of  valleys 
and  water-courses,  on  the  sides  of  mountains,  in  Australia 
and  in  South  Africa. 

The  Cape  diamonds  lately  imported  are  said  to  be  of  an 
inferior  quality,  and  to  have  a  greasy,  oily  look.  Yellow  is 
the  prevailing  colour. 

The  diamond  has  been  in  all  ages  held  in  the  highest 
estimation.  Its  brilliancy  and  play  of  colour  is  attributed 
to  its  high  refractive  and  reflecting  powers,  and  it  was  the 
observation  of  these  properties  which  led  Newton  to  infer  it 
was  combustible,  a  conclusion  which  was  verified  in  the 
same  year  (1693)  by  the  Florentine  Academy.  The  diamond 
possesses  also  the  property  of  flashing  out  the  colour  of  the 
rainbow,  which  a  piece  of  the  heavy  glass  used  to  counter- 
feit the  diamond  possesses  to,  at  least,  as  effective  a  degree. 
It  becomes  phosphorescent  on  exposure  to  the  light,  and  the 
smaller  diamonds  become  phosphorescent  by  a  much  shorter 
exposure  than  those  of  larger  size.  The  most  valuable 
diamonds  are  perfectly  colourless,  and  are  then  said  to  be 
of  the  purest  water.  The  colour  suite  is,  however,  exten- 
sive, blue,  green,  pink,  yellow,  brown,  and  black.3  It  occurs 
also  opalescent. 

M.  P.  Chasseau  as  gres  psammite,  a  sort  of  sandy  freestone,  the 
locality  being  the  Serro  de  Santantonio  de  Grammagoa.  The  dis- 
coverers of  the  deposit  took  from  it  many  diamonds,  as  the  rock  was 
soft,  but  deeper  it  became  harder,  and  consequently,  more  difficult  to 
work.  (King,  "Precious  Stones,"  page  59.) 

Professor  Maskelyne  also  writes  :  "  In  Brazil  it  has  been  traced  to 
its  rock  home  in  itacolumite  (a  micaceous  quartzose  schist  often  con- 
taining talcose  minerals  and  intersected  by  quartz  veins)  and  also  in 
a  hornblende,  also  continuous  with  the  itacolumite." 

3  M.  Gallardo  Bastant,  who  has  much  studied  the  origin  of  precious 
B.2 


PRECIOUS  STONES. 


Though  the  hardest  known  substance,  a  diamond  is  very 
brittle;  a  slight  blow  struck  in  the  direction  of  the  plane  of 
cleavage,  would  have  the  effect  of  causing  it  to  split* 

The  diamond  is  valued  according  to  its  weight  in 
carats  (3|  grains  each),  the  value  rising  very  rapidly  with 
the  size. 

Diamonds,  when  cut,  are  called  brilliants,  rose  diamonds 
or  rosettes,  and  table  diamonds.  Of  these  the  brilliant  is 
the  most  esteemed,  as  it  displays  the  lustre  of  the  stone  to 
the  greatest  advantage. 

In  a  brilliant,  the  table  is  the  upper  surface,  the  girdle  i.s 
the  broadest  part  of  the  stone,  and  should  be  at  one-third  of 
the  whole  depth,  the  portion  above  it  being  the  bezel;  the 
culet  is  the  base,  and  should  be  two-thirds  below  the  girdle, 
the  whole  depth  of  the  stone  being  equal  to  the  width 
across  the  girdle.  Rose  diamonds  have  triangular  facets  over 
the  surface  of  the  stone,  the  under  side  being  flat. 

Lasque  diamonds  are  the  flat  thin  stones  used  much  in 


stones,  has  communicated  to  the  Academy  of  Sciences  at  Paris  his 
opinion  in  regard  to  the  change  of  colour  in  the  diamond  produced 
by  heat.  "The  yellow  diamond,"  he  says,  "  is  a  compound  of  carbon 
and  the  fluoride  of  aluminium,  and  its  yellow  colour  is  changed  into 
rose-colour.  The  same  phenomenon  is  observed  with  the  topaz, 
which  is  a  compound  of  aluminium,  silex,  and  fluoric  acid,  the  yellow 
colour  of  which  also  changes  to  rose-colour  at  an  elevated  tempera- 
ture. This  change  of  colour  is  due  to  the  absorption  of  carbonic 
acid,  and  analysis  shows  traces  of  this  gas." 

A  green  diamond  is  the  rarest  of  all  gems.  A  small  one  (about 
1£  carats)  sold  lately  at  Mr.  Hancock's  for  300Z, 

The  large  rose-tinted  brilliant  belonging  to  the  late  Duke  of 
Brunswick  sold  at  the  sale,  of  his  things  for  2824L 

4  This  gem  being  composed  of  infinitely  thin  laminae  deposited 
over  each  other  in  a  direction  parallel  to  the  faces  of  the  primitive 
crystal,  it  can  be  easily  split  by  a  blow  of  a  knife  in  the  direction  of 
these  laminee.  (King,  "  Precious  Stones,"  p.  49.) 


THE  DIAMOND. 


native    Indian    work,    in   neck   and    head-bands,    bangles, 
rings,  &c. 

The  art  of  cutting  and  polishing  diamonds  was  discovered 
by  Louis  van  Berguen,  a  citizen  of  Bruges,  in  1456,  pre- 
viously to  which  time  the  diamond  was  only  known  in  its 
rough,  or  in  its  cleaned  state.  At  the  present  day  the 
cutting  is  effected  chiefly  by  the  Jews  of  Amsterdam. 

The  diamond  was  sometimes,  but  very  rarely  engraved. 
In  the  Paris  Exhibition,  1867,  was  a  ring  Avith  an  engraved 
diamond,  said  to  be  by  Jacopo  da  Trezzo.  In  the  Royal 
Collection  is  the  signet  ring  of  Charles  II.,  when  Prince  of 
Wales,  bearing  the  device  the  ostrich  plumes  between  the 
letters  C.  P.,  very  neatly  cut,  upon  a  large  yellow  diamond, 
a  table  Jxf  in  diameter.  The  Cavalier  Costanza  is  said 
to  have  made  several  engravings  upon  the  diamond  in  the 
beginning  of  the  last  century.  Mr.  King  gives  a  notice  of 
three  engraved  diamonds  in  the  possession  of  Messrs.  Hunt 
and  Roskell. 

Small  natural  crystals,  of  the  octahedral  form,  have  been 
occasionally  found,  set  in  sixteenth-century  rings,  used  for 
writing  on  glass,  &c. 

The  largest  dia- 
mond of  which  there 
is  any  record  is  that 
described  by  Taver- 
nier  as  belonging  to 
the  '  Great  Mogul. 
According  to  him,  it 
is  a  very  high  rose 
diamond,  and  weigh- 
ing 280  carats.  When 
Mirgimola,  Taver- 
The  Great  Mogul.  (4.)  iiier  writes,  who  be- 


6 


PRECIOUS  STONES. 


trayed  the  Great  Mogul,  his  master,  made  a  present*  of 
this  stone  to  Shah  Sehan,  with  whom  he  took  refuge,  it 
was  in  the  rough,  and  weighed  then  787J  carats. 

Another  diamond,  cele- 
brated for  its  size,  is  that 
of  the  Rajah  of  Mattam, 
in  Borneo.  It  is  of  a  pear- 
shaped  form,  and  weighs 
in  the  rough  367  carats. 

The  Darya-i-Noor,  or 
sea  of  light,  the  gem  of 
the  Persian  collection,  is 
a  stone  of  186  carats. 
Another  fine  diamond  in 
the  same  collection  is  the 
Crown  of  the  Moon,  146 
carats. 

The  following  are  the 


The  Mattam.    (5.) 


n 


most    celebrated   diamonds 
Europe : — 

The  Russian  or  OrloiF  dia- 
mond, 194i  carats.  It  has  the 
under  side  flat,  and  is  rose-cut. 
It  was  bought  by  the  Empress 
Catherine  II.  for  90,0007.,  and 
a  pension  of  40007.  It  is  said 
to  have  formed  one  of  the  eyes 
of  an  idol  in  a  Brahmin  tem- 
ple. It  is  now  in  the  Russian  Imperial  sceptre. 

The  Austrian  diamond,  139|  carats.  It  is  yellow,  rather 
thick,  and  is  covered  with  facets,  like  a  rose  diamond,  being 
pointed  both  at  top  and  bottom ;  it  is  valued  at  40,0007. 


The  Orloff.     (6.) 


THE  DIAMOND. 


The  Regent  or  Pitt  diamond,  136|  carats.  It  was  bought 
by  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  then  Regent  of  France,  of  Pitt,  the 
Governor  of  Fort  St.  George,  in  the  year  1717,  for  135,0007. 
It  was  found  in  Golconda.  It  forms  part  of  the  French 
crown  jewels. 


The  Pigott. 


The  Austria 


The  Hope  Diamond    (10.) 


The  Regent.    (9.) 


PRECIOUS  STONES. 


The  Piggott  diamond,  82J  carats,  was  disposed  of  l.y 
lottery  in  London  (1801)  for  30,000/. 

The  Hope  diamond,  44J  carats.  This  brilliant,  formerly 
the  property  of  the  late  Mr.  Hope,  is  of  a  most  brilliant 
sapphire  blue.  It  is  valued  at  30,000/. 

The  Xassack  diamond  (the 
Marquis  of  Westminster),  893f 
carats,  re-cut  as  a  brilliant,  78f 
carats,  captured  from  the  Peish- 
wah  of  the  Mahrattas. 

The  Star  of  the  South,  in  the 
rough,    254|-  carats,  cut    as   a 
brilliant,   124i  carats,  found  at 
TheNassack.   (io.)  the  Bogageni  mine,  Brazil. 

The  Star  of  South  Africa,  46J  carats.  It  has  been 
valued  at  20,000/.  It  is  now  in  the  possession  of  Messrs 
Hunt  and  Roskell. 

The  most  celebrated  diamond  of  modern  times  is  the 
Koh-i-noor,  which  became  the  property  of  the  Queen  of 
England  on  the  annexation  of  the  Punjaub  by  the  East 
India  Company  in  1850.  It  is  reputed  to  be  4000  years  old 
by  Indian  tradition.  It  is  said  to  have  belonged  to  the 
Rajah  of  Mjayin  60  B.C.,  and  to  have  remained  in  the  pos- 
session of  his  successors  until  India  was  subdued  by  the 
Mohammedans.  It  is  mentioned  by  Tavernier  in  1665,  as  the 
property  of  the  Great  Mogul.  It  was  called  the  Koh-i-noor, 
or  "  Mountain  of  light."  When  brought  to  this  country  it- 
weighed  186^  carats.  The  beauty  of  this  stone  being 
greatly  marred  by  its  irregularity  of  form,  and  the  imperfect 
manner  in  which  it  had  been  cut,  it  was  determined  to  re-cut 
it.  This  was  skilfully  and  successfully  accomplished,  under 
the  care  of  Messrs.  Garrard,  by  two  workmen  from  the  great 
atelier  of  Mr.  Foster  of  Amsterdam.  Although  the  weight 


THE  DIAMOND. 


of  the  stone  has  been  reduced  from  186i  to  103f  carats,  its 

brilliancy  and  general 
appearance  have  been 
greatly  improved. 

In  addition  to  its 
value  as  a  precious 
stone,  the  diamondjs 
employed  for  engrav- 
ing and  cutting  glass, 
in  splinters  for  drill- 
ing, arid,  reduced  to 
powder,  for  polishing 
and  cutting  gems. 
This  kind,  which  con- 
sists of  fragments  of 
diamond  too  small  for 
jewellery,  is  termed 
Bort.  Carbonado  is 
a  term  applied  to  an 
amorphous,  black, 
imperfectly  crystal- 
lized variety  which 
comes  from  the  pro- 
vince of  Bahia,  Bra- 
zil. It  is  said  to 
occupy  a  position  be- 
tween diamond  and 
anthracite. 


Koh-i-noor  betore  re-cutting.    (1 1.) 


Koh-i-noor  after  re-cutting.    (12.) 


10  PRECIOUS  STONES. 


THE   KUBY. 

THE  ruby,  the   sapphire,  the  oriental  topaz,  the  oriental 
emerald,  the  oriental  amethyst,  are  pure  crystallized  alumina, 

and  are  all  classed  under  the 
name  of  corundum.  They  are 
identical  in  every  particular,  dif- 
fering only  in  colour. 

The  ruby  is  said  to  be  tinted 
by  the  peroxide  of  iron,  the  sap- 
phire by  the  protoxide,  and  the 
violet  tint  may  possibly  be  pro- 
duced by  an  admixture  of  man- 
ganese with  the  iron.  They  occur 
crystallized  in  variously  termi- 
nated hexagonal  prisms,  and  in 
rolled  masses,  and  are  generally 
found  in  beds  of  rivers,  or  asso- 
ciated  with  crystalline  rocks. 

The  ruby  or  red  sapphire  is  considered,  next  to  the 
diamond,  the  most  precious  of  all  gems.  When  of  a  large 
size,  good  colour,  and  free  from  flaws,  it  exceeds  even  the 
diamond  itself  in  value.  Rubies  are  for  the  most  part  small, 
seldom  exceeding  eight  or  ten  carats.  The  specific  gravity  is 
3'9  to  4*1,  its  hardness  superior  to  any  known  substance 
except  diamond,  being  numbered  9  in  Moh's  scale.  It  is 


THE  RUBY.  11 


composed  of  alumina,   and  coloured  by  traces  of  metallic 
oxides,  chrome,  &c. 

Alumina  .  .  .  98'5 
Oxide  of  iron  .  .  I'O 
Lime  ....  0*5 

The  colour  of  the  ruby  varies  from  the  lightest  rose-tint 
to  the  deepest  carmine.  The  colour  most  prized  is  a 
rich  and  lovely  crimson  known  as  the  "  pigeon's  blood,"  but 
its  scarlet  tints  are  also  beautiful.  It  is  never  a  large 
stone  ;  for  whereas  the  sapphire  occurs  in  very  considerable 
masses,  a  ruby  above  the  size  of  three  carats  is  worth  more 
than  a  diamond  of  the  same  weight.  The  finest  stones  are 
found  in  the  sands  of  rivers  in  Ceylon  and  in  the  Capelan 
mountains,  near  Siriam,  a  city  in  Pegu.  The  ruby  mines 
of  Burmah,  whence  come  the  finest  stones,  have  been  long 
famous.  They  are  said  to  be  situated  about  sixty  or 
seventy  miles  from  the  capital,  in  a  north-easterly  direction. 
These  mines  are  rigorously  guarded,  no  European  being 
allowed  to  approach  them  on  any  pretence.  They  are  a 

royal  monopoly.  The  King 
of  Burmah  is  said  to  retain 
for  his  own  use  the  rarest  and 
finest  specimens.  One  of  his 
titles  is  the  "  Lord  of  Rubies." 
The  largest  known  ruby  is 
that  mentioned  by  Chardin,  on 
which  was  engraved 'the  name 
of  Sheik  Sephi. 

Another,  also  belonging  to 
the  Shah  of  Persia,  a  draw- 
ing of  which  has  been  given 
bv  Tavernier,  weighed  175 

Ruby  of  the  Shah  of  Persia.     (14.)  < 

carats.     The    King    of   Bur- 


12  PRECIOUS  STONES. 

mah   is    said    to   possess   a   ruby  as    large   as  a  pigeon's 

egg- 

The  largest  ruby  ever  seen  in  Europe  is  that  presented 
by  Gustavus  III.,  of  Sweden,  to  the  Czarina,  upon  his  visit 
to  her  in  1777.  It  is  equal  in  bulk  to  a  small  hen's  egg, 
and  is  of  fine  colour. 

A  very  large  one  is  in  the  French  crown  jewels.  It 
adorns  the  order  of  the  Golden  Fleece,  and  is  cut  into  the 
form  of  a  dragon  with  extended  wings.5 

5  At  the  sale  of  the  Duke  of  Brunswick's  jewels  (April,  1874),  a 
Chinese  idol,  cut  out  of  a  single  ruby  of  immense  size,  was  sold  to 
M.  Achard,  of  Paris,  for  15,000  francs  (600?) .  It  was  taken  from  the 
summer  palace  of  Pekin  on  the  sacking  of  that  place  by  the  French 
troops,  and  was  purchased  by  the  Duke  on  the  return  of  the  expe- 
dition from  China.  The  stone  was  not  to  say  of  remarkable  purity, 
but  the  workmanship  of  the  image  was  excellent. 


THE  SAPPHIRE.  13 


THE  SAPPHIRE. 


THE  sapphire  is  the  blue  variety  of  corundum.  Like  the 
ruby,  it  is  composed  of  pure  alumina  coloured  by  oxide  of 
iron.  In  hardness  it  is  equal  to  that  of  the  ruby.  It 
occurs  of  all  tints  and  shades  of  blue.  Jewellers  have 
divided  them  into  two  kinds,  the  male  and  female,  the  first 
being'  of  a  deep  indigo  colour,  and  the  second  a  light  blue. 
The  latter  is  also  sometimes  termed  a  water  sapphire.  The 
colour  which  approximates  to  blue  velvet  of  the  shade 
formerly  called  "  bleu  de  roi "  is  the  most  valuable.  The 
sapphire  occurs  generally  in  crystals  of  much  larger  size 
than  the  ruby.  This  stone  is  chiefly  brought  from  Ceylon 
and  Pegu. 

The  largest  sapphire  known,  weighing  132  carats,  is  in 
the  Musee  de  Mineralogie,  Paris.  It  has  been  called  the 
"Wooden-Spoon  Sellers,"  from  the  occupation  of  the  man 
who  found  it  in  Bengal.  It  is  also  called  the  "  Ruspoli," 
after  a  former  owner.  It  is  lozenge-shaped  with  six  faces, 
and  was  bought  by  Pcrret,  a  Parisian  jeweller,  for  170,000 
francs  (6800/.).  A  statuette  of  Buddha,  about  an  inch 
high,  carved  out  of  one  entire  and  perfect  sapphire,  is  in 
.the  Mineralogical  Department  of  the  British  Museum. 

Among  the  sapphires  famous  for  their  historical  interest 
is  that  in  the  Lennox  or  Darnley  jewel,  belonging  to  her 
Majesty.  This  historic  relic  is  a  pendant  golden  heart,  set 


14  PRECIOUS  STONES. 


with  a  heart-shaped  sapphire.  Its  date  is  about  Io7o,  and 
it  was  made  for  that  Margaret  Douglas  whose  husband  and 
son,  the  Regent  Earl  of  Lennox  and  Darnley,  Mary's 
consort,  came  both  of  them  to  their  ends  by  murder. 
Another,  not  less  interesting,  is  the  sapphire  which,  set  as 
a  ring,  was  at  the  moment  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  death, 
when  all  the  doors  were  closed  by  order,  thrown  out  of  a 
window  by  Lady  Scrope  to  her  brother,  Robert  Gary,  son 
of  Lord  Hunsdon,  and  later  Earl  of  Monmouth,  who  at  once 
took  horse  to  Scotland  and  presented  the  token  to  James 
VI.  in  proof  of  the  truth  of  that  fact,  of  which  he  brought 
the  first  tidings.  It  now  forms  the  centre  of  a  diamond 
star,  and  is  in  the  possession  of  the  Countess  of  Cork  and 
Orrery.  The  Talisman  of  Charlemagne,  which  was  found 
suspended  from  the  neck  of  the  Emperor  on  the  opening  of 
his  sepulchre  in  1166,  has  two  large  rough  sapphires,  and  a 
portion  of  the  Holy  Cross  in  the  centre,  set  round  with 
gems.  It  was  presented  to  Napoleon  by  the  clergy  of 
Aix-la-Chapelle.  It  afterwards  came  into  the  possession  of 
the  late  Emperor,  Louis  Napoleon  III. 

In  the  centre  of  the  cross  on  the  summit  of  the  Imperial 
State  Crown  of  England  is  a  rose-cut  sapphire,  which 
tradition  says  came  out  of  the  famous  ring  of  Edward  the 
Confessor,  so  long  treasured  up  on  his  shrine,  and  the 
heritage  of  which  gave  his  successors  the  miraculous  power 
of  blessing  the  cramp-rings.  In  the  front  of  the  crown  is  a 
large,  broad-spread  sapphire  (partly  drilled),  purchased  for 
the  crown  by  his  Majesty  King  George  IV. 

A  superb  sapphire,  engraved  with  the  heads  of  Henry 
IV.  and  Marie  de  Medicis,  face  to  face,  signed  1605,  by 
Coldore,  the  gem  portrait-painter  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  was 
lately  in  the  collection  of  M.  T.  F.  Leturq  of  Paris. 

In   the  Duke    of  Brunswick's    collection   lately  sold  at 


THE  SAPPHIRE.  15 


Geneva  was  an  engraved  sapphire  ring,  bearing  the  royal 
arms  of  England,  which  once  belonged  to  Mary,  Queen  of 
Scots. 

The  sapphire  was  the  stone  generally  used  for  the 
Episcopal  ring,  as  prescribed  by  Pope  Honorius.6  In  the 
Londesborough  collection  is  an  Episcopal  ring,  gold,  with 
sapphire,  French  work  of  the  twelfth  century.  It  was  found 
in  the  tomb  of  Thierry,  Bishop  of  Verdun,  1165.  The  ring 
of  William  of  Wykeham,  Bishop  of  Winchester,  was  a 
massive  plain  gold  ring  set  with  a  sapphire.  The  word 
"  sapphire,"  according  to  some,  appears  to  come  from  the 
Syriac  saphilali,  ,the  name  in  that  language  of  the  sapphire. 
The  sapphire,  in  Greek  sappheiros,  M.  Maskelyne  writes, 
was  the  name  applied  by  the  Greeks  and  Romans  to  what 
we  call  lapis  lazuli.  But  it  is  obviously  a  word  foreign  to 
the  Greek  tongue.  According  to  the  Talmud,  the  tables  01 
the  law  were  fashioned  of  sappir  ;  the  word  is  connected 
with  the  roots  from  which  are  derived  the  Hebrew  terms  for  a 
book,  writing,  or  engraving.  This  root  is  "safar,"  to 
engrave,  but  it  seems  also  to  have  the  meaning  "  to  shine," 
and  this  may  be  the  source  of  the  application  of  the  name 
sappir  to  a  precious  stone. 

WHITE  SAPPHIRE. 
White  sapphire  is  the  pure  colourless  crystallized  alumina, 

6  The  writer  of  an  article  on  Finger-Kings  in  the  "  British 
Quarterly  Eeview"  (July,  1874),  says,  "In  1194  the  fashion  of  the 
episcopal  ring  was  settled  by  Pope  Innocent  III.,  who  ordained  that 
it  should  be  of-  solid  gold,  and  set  with  a  precious  stone,  on  which 
nothing  was  to  be  cut.  The  stones  usually  chosen  were  the  ruby, 
indicating  glory,  the  emerald,  for  tranquillity  and  happiness,  and 
crystal,  for  simplicity  and  purity.  A  cardinal's  ring  is  set  with  a 
sapphire  to  denote  the  high-priesthood,  and  is  given  when  a  title  is 
assigned  to  him." 


16  PRECIOUS  STONES. 


generally,  however,  exhibiting  a  faint  blue  tint,  which  is 
sometimes  expelled  by  heat.  When  cut  and  polished,  from 
its  brilliancy  it  has  been  passed  as  a  diamond.  It  is  also 
called  Lux  Sapphire. 

ORIENTAL  TOPAZ. 

The  oriental  topaz  is  a  name  given  by  jewellers  to  the 
yellow  variety  of  corundum.  It  is  generally  of  a  pale 
straw  yellow,  but  sometimes  exhibits  a  beautiful  golden 
tint,  and  almost  equals  the  diamond  in  brilliancy,  for  which 
it  is  frequently  mistaken.  Some  good  specimens  set  in 
rings  are  in  the  Townsheud  collection,  S.K.M. 

ORIENTAL  AMETHYST. 

The  violet  variety  of  corundum  is  termed  the  oriental 
amethyst.  It  is  often  formed  by  a  mixture  of  ruby  and 
sapphire  in  the  same  crystal.  It  may  be  distinguished 
from  the  ordinary  amethyst  by  its  superior  brilliancy  and 
play,  as  well  as  by  its  hardness.  It  is  a  gem  of  rare 
occurrence.  Jewellers  frequently  confound  it  with  the 
ordinary  amethyst.  A  fine  specimen  set  in  a  ring,  from 
the  Hope  collection,  is  in  the  Townshend  collection,  S.K.M. 

ORIENTAL  EMERALD. 

The  oriental  emerald  is  the  green  variety  of  this  species, 
but  it  lacks  the  rich  hues  of  the  splendid  mineral  after 
which  it  is  named,  the  true  emerald.  It  is  lustrous,  but 
almost  invariably  of  an  extremely  pale  hue.'  It  is  said  to 
be  the  rarest  of  all  gems ;  there  are  some  fine  specimens  in 
the  Grime  Gewolbe,  Dresden.  In  the  British  Museum  are 
two  specimens  of  this  rare  stone.  The  author  also  possesses 
a  small  one  of  a  deep  green  colour. 


THE  SAPPHIRE.  17 


ORIENTAL  AQUAMARINE. 

The  oriental  aquamarine  is  a  greenish-blue  sapphire. 
When  the  green  is  of  an  olive  tint,  it 'is  termed  an  oriental 
peridot. 

STAR  SAPPHIRE. 

The  star  sapphire,  or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  asteria, 
is  formed  from  the  more  opaque  kind  of  stones,  which  when 
in  the  boss  form  (or  en  cabochon\  exhibits  a  six-rayed  star 
corresponding  in  the  direction  of  the  rays  with  the  direction 
of  those  planes  along  which  the  crystal  may  be  "  cleaved  " 
or  easily  split.  Care  is  taken  to  get  the  centre  of  the  star 
as  nearly  as  possible  in  the  middle  of  the  stone.  Star 
sapphires  are  generally  of  a  pale  blue,  sometimes  nearly 
white,  but  when  these  stones  possess  a  fine  blue  colour, 
large  prices  have  been  obtained  for  them.  ' 

STAR  EUBY. 

The  star  ruby  is  a  similar  stone  to  the  above,  but  of  a 
red  colour.  It  generally  occurs  of  a  smaller  size  than  the 
star  sapphire,  and  is  much  rarer.  These  stones  are  much 
valued  in  the  east.  All  these  star  stones  come  from  Ceylon. 
In  the  Townshend  collection,  S.K.M.,  are  some  good 
specimens  of  these  stones. 

GIRASOL  SAPPHIRE. 

The  girasol  sapphire  is  a  stone  similar  to  the  above, 
which  shows  a  glimmering  light  on  the  surface.  Sapphir 
chatoyant  is  a  name  given  by  French  jewellers  to  a  similar 
stone,  which  displays  very  brilliant  pearly  reflections  on  a 
red  or  blue  ground. 

OPALESCENT  SAPPHIRE. 

This  sapphire  is  of  a  milky  white  tint,  exhibiting  opales- 
cent reflections.  A  fine  example  is  in  the  Geological 
Museum,  Jermyn  Street. 

c 


18  PRECIOUS  SI  ONES. 


PRECIOUS  SPINELS. 

THE  precious  varieties  of  spinels,  which  comprise  a  large 
mineralogical  group,  consist  essentially  of  alumina,  combined 
with  magnesia,  and  tinted,  perhaps,  with  iron.  They 
generally  occur  in  octahedral  crystals.  These  are  the  spinel 
ruby,  the  balas  ruby,  the  almandine  ruby,  and  the  rubi- 
celle.  They  are  found  in  Ceylon,  Siam,  Pegu,  and  other 
eastern  countries,  in  rolled  pebbles,  in  the  beds  of  rivers. 
The  spinel  ruby  is  a  scarlet  variety  of  considerable  fire,  and 
of  a  rich  colour.  The  balas  ruby  is  of  a  delicate  rose-pink 
colour,  showing  a  blue  tint  when  looked  through.  Its 
name  is  said  to  be  derived  from  Beloochistan,  anciently 
Balastan.  Both  these  stones  are  termed  rubies  by  jewellers, 
and  deeper  tinted  kinds  are  sometimes  sold  for  the  true 
ruby.  They  may  be  readily  distinguished  from  the  Oriental 
or  true  ruby  by  inferior  hardness,  and  specific  gravity; 
and  also  by  the  crystallization,  which  is  of  an  octahedral 
form.  Many  of  the  famous  stones  that  pass  under  the 
name  of  rubies  belong  to  this  species.  The  famous  ruby 
said  to  have  been  given  to  Edward  Prince  of  Wales,  the 
Black  Prince,  by  Don  Pedro  of  Castile,  after  the  battle  of 
Nagara,  A.D.  1307,  and  now  in  the  Imperial  State  Crown  of 
England,  is  a  spinel.  Almandine  is  the  name  applied  to 
the  variety  which  sometimes  occurs  with  a  tint  containing 
more  blue  than  the  balas  ruby,  and  approaching  the  alman- 
dine garnet  in  hue.  Rubicelle  is  a  name  given  to  the 
orange-red  variety. 


THE  CHRYSOBERYL.  19 


THE  CHRYSOBERYL. 

THE  chrysoberyl,  called  also  by  jewellers  the  Oriental 
chrysolite,  is  a  compound  of  alumina  and  the  oxide  glucina. 
It  belongs  to  the  rhombic  system  of  crystallization.  It 
usually  occurs  of  a  greenish-yellow  colour,  and  sometimes 
of  a  yellowish-brown  hue.  It  is  a  very  brilliant  gem,  and 
is  sometimes  used  in  jewellery.  In  brilliancy  and  trans- 
parency it  nearly  equals  the  diamond,  while  in  hardness  it 
is  very  nearly  the  rival  of  the  sapphire.  It  is  found  in 
Brazil  and  Ceylon,  in  rolled  pebbles,  in  the  alluvial  deposits 
of  rivers.  A  fine  specimen  of  this  stone,  for  which  Mr. 
Hertz  is  said  to  have  received  300  guineas  from  Mr.  Hope, 
is  among  the  recent  acquisitions  of  the  mineral  department 
of  the  British  Museum. 

CYMOPHANE. 

Cymophane  is  a  term  given  by  French  jewellers  to  the 
mineral  species  of  the  chrysoberyl,  which,  when  cut  en 
caboclion,  exhibits  like  a  drop  of  water,  or  the  pupil  of  an 
eye,  moving  about  inside  it,  and  also  a  band  of  light  floating 
on  its  surface.  Its  name  is  derived  from  Kv/*a,  a  wave,  and 
<£a«/w,  to  appear.  This  variety  is  also  called  the  chryso- 
beryl cat's-eye.  Fine  specimens  of  this  stone  may  be  seen 
in  the  Townshend  and  Beresford  Hope  Collections  in  the 
South  Kensington  Museum. 

c  2 


20 


PRECIOUS  STONES. 


THE  GARNET. 


PRECIOUS  garnets  are  silicates  of  alumina,  magnesia, 
lime,  and  iron,  and  are  mostly  found  in  rhombic  dodeca- 
hedral  crystals,  in  granite  or  mica  slate.  Ceylon,  Pegu, 
Brazil,  and  Bohemia,  supply  these  stones.  The  word 
"  garnet"  is  said  to  be  derived  from  granaticus,  as  its  pre- 
vailing colour  resembles  that  of  the  seed  of  the  pome- 
granate. 


Crystals  of  Garnet. 


(16) 


From  the  brilliancy  and  richness  of  their  colour,  they  are 
much  used  in  jewellery. 

There  are  many  varieties  of  this  stone,  which  are  distin- 
guished by  their  colour,  and  also  by  the  difference  of  their 


THE  GARNET.  21 


chemical  composition.  Of  these,  the  best  known  are  the 
almandine,  the  siriam,  the  essouite,  the  hyacinthine,  the 
pyrope,  the  guarnaccino. 

The  most  esteemed  kind  is  the  siriam,  or  oriental  garnet, 
so  called  from  Siriam,  a  city  of  Pegu,  it  being  formerly  the 
chief  mart  for  the  finest  garnets.  The  colour  ranges  from 
the  deepest  crimson  to  a  violet  purple,  in  some  instances 
rivalling  the  finest  oriental  amethyst ;  the  red  colour 
being  due  to  the  presence  of  protoxide  of  iron,  and  the 
violet  to  manganese. 

The  almandine  is  an  alumina  iron  garnet  of  a  beautiful 
violet  or  amethystine  tint.  The  word  "  almandine"  is  said  to 
be  a  corruption  of  Pliny's  alabandine,  a  term  applied  to  the 
garnet  from  its  being  cut  and  polished  at  Alabanda. 

The  essonite,  or  cinnamon-stone,  is  an  alumina  lime 
garnet  of  a  cinnamon  or  reddish-yellow  tint. 

The  hyacinthine  garnet  is  of  a  dark  orange-red  tint.  It 
is  frequently  confounded  by  jewellers  and  some  writers, 
with  the  true  hyacinth  or  red  zircon. 

The  pyrope  or  Bohemian  garnet  (a  variety  oi  iron  garnet) 
is  a  deep  blood  red,  and  of  a  fiery  character,  hence  it  is 
sometimes  also  called  fire  garnet.  It  is  found  in  Bohemia 
Saxony,  and  other  parts  of  Germany. 

Guarnaccino  is  the  Italian  name  for  the  brownish-red 
garnet. 

The  vermeille,  or  vermillion  garnet,  is  of  an  orange-red 
-colour. 

Carbuncle  is  the  name  given  in  jewellery  to  the  garnet, 
when  cut  en  caboclwn  ;  that  is  to  say  of  a  boss  form, 
usually  hollowed  out  underneath  to  allow  the  colour  of  the 
stone  to  be  seen. 

The  star  garnet  is  a  variety  of  this  species,  which,  when 
lield  in  the  sun,  shows  a  star,  or  rather  a  cross  on  the  sur- 


22  PRECIOUS  STONES. 

face,  having  the  appearance  of  having  been  scratched  on  the 
stone. 

Small  cups  are  occasionally  made  in  India  from  the 
larger  crystals  of  this  stone,  which  sometimes  occur  the  size 
of  a  fist. 


THE  EMERALD.  23 


THE  EMERALD. 

THE  emerald  is  a  silicate  of  alumina  and  glucina,  which, 
it  is  said  by  some  mineralogists,  owes  to  a  little  chromium 
the  transcendent  green  which  characterizes  it.7  It  crystal- 

7  Until  very  lately,  Mr.  Bristowe  writes  ("Glossary  of  Mineralogy," 
p.  125),  the  colouring  matter  of  the  emerald  was  supposed  to  be  due 
to  the  presence  of  one  or  two  per  cent,  of  oxide  of  chromium.  This 
has,  however,  been  proved  to  be  incorrect  by  Mr.  Lewy's  recent 
chemical  investigations  into  the  formation  and  composition  of  the 
emerald  of  Muzo.  The  quantity  of  chromic  oxide  obtained  by  ana- 
lysis was  so  small  as  to  be  inappreciable,  in  fact,  too  minute  to  be 
weighed  separately,  and  the  beautiful  tint  of  the  emerald  is  shown 
by  M.  Lewy  to  be  produced  by  an  organic  substance,  which  he  considers 
to  be  a  carburet  of  hydrogen,  similar  to  that  chlorophylle  which  consti- 
tutes the  colouring-matter  of  the  leaves  of  plants.  Those  emeralds 
are  of  the  darkest  tint  which  contain  the  greatest  amount  of  organic 
matter,  and  the  colour  is  completely  destroyed  at  a  low  red  heat, 
which  renders  the  stone  white  and  opaque,  while,  on  the  other  hand, 
heat  produces  no  loss  of  colour  in  those  minerals  which  are  coloured 
by  oxide  of  chrome,  breaking  readily  at  right  angles  to  the  axis  of 
the  prism.  The  emeralds,  when  first  extracted  from  the  mine  at 
Muzo,  are  so  soft  and  fragile  that  the  largest  and  finest  specimens 
can  be  reduced  to  powder  merely  by  rubbing  them  between  the 
fingers,  and  the  crystals  often  crack  and  fall  to  pieces  after  being 
removed  from  the  mine,  apparently  from  loss  of  water,  as  the  chrome 
garnet  Uwarovite.  The  organic  colouring  matter  of  the  emerald  is 
probably  derived  from  the  decomposition  of  the  animals  whose  re- 
mains are  now  found  fossilized  in  the  rock  which  forms  the  matrix  of 
the  stone.  Besides  the  organic  colouring-matter  M.  Lewy  obtained 
from  1*65  to  2*15  of  water,  from  which  he  has  arrived  at  the  conclu- 
sion that  emeralds  have  been  formed  in  the  wet  way,  that  is  to 
say,  that  they  have  deposited  from  a  chemical  solution. 


24  PRECIOUS  STONES. 


lizes  in  hexagonal  prisms,  with  the  sides  striated  longi- 
tudinally. It  is  rarely  found  without  a  flaw,  and  is 
extremely  brittle.  It  ranks  next 
the  ruby  in  value.  It  occa- 
sionally shows  a  star  in  the  sec- 
tion, of  which  there  is  an  example 
in  the  Townshend  collection  in 
the  South  Kensington  Museum. 
The  stones  of  the  finest  colour 
are  found  at  Muzo,  in  New 
Granada,  near  Santa  Fe  de  Bo- 
gota, in  a  calcareous  rock. 
crystal  of  Emerald.  (17.)  Indian  'emeralds  are  generally 

of    a    pale   green,    and    full    of 

flaws.  They  are  said  to  come  from  the  mountains  of  Can- 
jargum,  in  the  Deccan,  which  have  also  yielded  an  abundant 
supply  of  beryls. 

In  the  Loan  Exhibition  of  1872  were  some  oriental 
emeralds,  set  as  drop  earrings,  contributed  by  her  Majesty 
the  Queen.  They  are  remarkable  for  their  size,  the  stones 
are  uncut,  but  polished  over  the  surface  and  pierced. 

The  mines  of  Ekaterinberg  in  Siberia  furnish  emeralds 
of  superior  quality. 

The  emerald  said  to  be  the  largest  known  is  the  property 
of  the  Duke  of  Devonshire  :  it  measures  2  inches  in  height, 
and  2i  across.  It  weighs  8  oz.,  18  dwts.  It  is  reported  to 
have  been  brought  to  this  country  by  Don  Pedro,  and  was 
found  at  Muzo. 

This  is  surpassed,  however,  by  a  magnificent  stone  in  the 
possession  of  Duleep  Singh,  which  is  three  inches  long,  two 
wide,  and  half  an  inch  thick.  Mr.  Eastwick  mentions  an 
emerald  in  the  Persian  collection  as  big  as  a  walnut, 
covered  with  the  names  of  kings  who  had  possessed  it. 


THE  EMERALD.  25 


ALL  emerald  \\  X  1J  inches  was  exhibited  by  Harry 
Ernanuel  at  the  Exhibition  1862.  A  vinaigrette  in  the 
Hope  collection  is  carved  out  of  two  large  emeralds. 

THE  BERYL. 

The  beryl  is  of  the  same  chemical  composition  as  the 
emerald,  and  comprises  two  varieties,  the  aquamarine,  of  a 
pale  azure  or  sea-green  tint,  and  the  yellow.  The  crystal- 
lization is  the  same  as  that  of  the  emerald.  Indian  beryls 
are  from  Canjargum,  in  the  Deccan.  Crystals  of  beryls  of 
enormous  size  are  found  in  North  America.  One  beryl 
from  Grafton,  N.  A.,  weighs  2900  Ibs. ;  it  is  32  inches  in 
one  direction,  and  22  in  another,  transverse,  and  is  4  feet  3 
inches  long. 

Some  fine  specimens  are  found  in  Siberia,  in  the  Mourne 
Mountains,  Co.  Down,  in  Bohemia,  Elba,  and  Brazil. 

Aquamarines  are  frequently  employed  in  jewellery,  in 
bracelets,  necklaces,  brooches,  &c.  An  aquamarine,  said  to 
be  the  largest  known,  set  as  a  sword-hilt,  which  formerly 
belonged  to  Joachim  Murat,  King  of  Naples,  is  in  the  Beres- 
ford  Hope  collection,  S.K.M. 

Another  equally  large,  if  not  larger,  is  in  the  possession 
of  Mr.  Hancock,  Bond  Street.  It  measures  2|  x  2f  inches. 

There  is  a  large  crystal  of  beryl  in  the  British  Museum. 
The  name  is  derived  from  the  Persian  belur,  changed  by  the 
Romans  into  b'ryllus. 

EUCLASE. 

The  euclase  is  also  of  the  same  chemical  composition  as 
the  emerald.  It  is  of  a  pale  blue  colour.  From  its  rarity 
and  brittleness,  it  is  never  used  in  jewellery.  It  is,  how- 
ever, susceptible  of  a  high  polish.  It  is  found  in  Peru  and 
Brazil. 


26 


PRECIOUS  STONES. 


TOPAZ. 

The  topaz  consists  of  a  fluo-silicate  of  alumina,  crystal- 
lizing in  rhombic  prisms  with  striated  sides. 

The  topaz  has  been  divided  by  jewellers  into  two  kind?, 
the  oriental  and  occidental.  The  oriental  is  the  yellow 
sapphire,  and  the  occidental  a  fluo-silicate  of  alumina. 

The  occidental  topaz  may  be  divided  into  three  varieties, 
the  yellow,  the  blue,  and  the  white.  The  yellow,  the  pre- 
vailing tint,  passes  from  a  pale  yellow  to  a  rich  orange 


Saxony.     (18) 


Brazil.     (19.) 
Crystals  of  Topaz. 


Siberia.     (20.) 


colour.  Some  jewellers  call  this  deep  orange  tint  an  oriental 
topaz.  The  finest  of  these  come  from  Villa  Rica,  Brazil. 
Saxony  also  furnishes  topazes  of  a  pale  yellow,  bordering  on 
canary  colour. 

They  are  found  also  in  Asia  Minor,  Ceylon,  Pegu, 
Siberia,  in  Scotland,  in  Aberdeenshire,  and  in  Ireland, 
in  the  Mourne  Mountains. 

The  blue  comes  from  Brazil,  and  is  sometimes  called  the 
Brazilian  sapphire. 

The  white  is  a  colourless  variety  found  at  Minas  Novas 


SILICATES.  27 

in  Brazil,  a  name  by  which  this  kind  is  called  in  that 
country.  In  lustre  the  white  topaz  surpasses  rock  crystal. 
The  purest  varieties  are  called  Gouttes  d'Eau  (Pingos 
d'  Agua). 

In  the  pink  topaz  this  colour  is  produced  by  exposing  the 
orange  topaz  to  a  low  red  heat :  it  is  sometimes  termed  the 
Brazilian  ruby.  The  pink  variety  is,  however,  sometimes 
found  in  nature. 

The  word  "  topaz  "  is  derived  from  Topazios,  the  name  of 
an  island  in  the  Red  Sea,  whence,  according  to  Pliny,  the 
ancients  obtained  the  stone  known  to  them  as  topazios,  but 
which  was  in  reality  a  chrysolite.  The  true  topaz  was 
unknown  to  the  ancients. 

CHRYSOLITE. 

Chrysolite  is  a  silicate  of  magnesia,  of  a  pale  yellow, 
slightly  tinted  with  green.  It  is  usually  found  in  angular 
or  rolled  pieces,  rarely  crystallized.  The  crystals,  usually 
8,  10,  or  12-sided  prisms,  are  almost  tabular.  It  occurs  in 
Upper  Egypt,  Mexico,  Auvergne,  and  near  Constantinople. 

As  a  gem  the  chrysolite  is  deficient  in  hardness  and  play 
of  colours,  but  when  the  stones  are  large  and  of  good 
colour,  and  well  cut  and  polished,  it  is  made  into  necklaces, 
hair  ornaments,  &c.  From  its  softness  it  loses  its  polish 
and  wears  at  the  edges.  It  was  the  topazios  of  the  ancients. 

THE  PERIDOT. 

The  peridot  is  a  yellow  green  variety  of  the  chrysolite. 
It  is  found  in  rolled  pebbles  in  Ceylon,  Persia,  Egypt,  and 
Bohemia.  It  is  soft  for  a  precious  stone,  being  just  under 
quartz  in  hardness.  It  was  rarely  used  by  the  ancients  for 
engraving  on,  but  modern  works  frequently  occur  in  it. 
The  name  Peridot  is  derived  from  the  Arabic  feridet,  a 
precious  stone. 


28  PRECIOUS  STONES. 

OLIVINE. 

Olivine  is  an  olive-green  variety  of  the  same  stone,  but 
inferior  in  colour  and  clearness.  It  occurs  in  yellowish- 
green,  or  olive-coloured,  embedded  masses  and  grains. 
Minute  specimens  occur  in  lavas  and  basalts ;  grains  of 
it  have  been  also  discovered  filling  up  cavities  in  aerolites. 

ZIRCON  OR  JARGOOX. 

The  zircon  is  a  silicate  of  zirconia  crystallizing  in  square 
prisms,  terminating  in  pyramids.  Zircons  occur  embedded 
in  granite,  syenite,  basalt,  lava,  and  are  found  in  alluvial 
beds  in  Ceylon.  It  has  a  somewhat  varied  colour  suite, 
white,  green,  yellow,  red. 


(21.)  Crystals  of  Zircon.  (1'2  ) 

The  white,  or  colourless  variety,  is  the  nearest  match  in 
brilliancy  and  refractive  energy  to  the  diamond.  It  is  most 
abundant  in  the  district  of  Matura,  in  Ceylon,  whence  it  has 
its  common  name  in  that  country  of  Matura  diamond.  The 
colourless  zircon  is  also  cut  and  sold  as  a  false  diamond  in 
the  bazaars  of  India. 

The  green  olive-tinted  zircon  is  found  in  Ceylon. 


SILICA  TES.  29 


The  yellow  is  of  a  honey  tint,  also  found  in  Ceylon. 

The  red  or  true  hyacinth,  or  jacinth,  is  remarkable  for 
its  fine  lustre  and  hardness.  It  occurs  in  the  sands  and 
alluvial  deposits  of  rivers  in  Ceylon,  and  is  often  sold  by  the 
inhabitants  as  an  inferior  ruby.  It  is  always  found  in  small 
grains,  and  never  of  a  large  size.  It  is  also  found  at 
Expilly,  in  Auvergne,  and  lately  at  Mudgee  in  Australia,  in 
rolled  pebbles  of  a  larger  size.  The  hyacinth  or  jacinth, 
frequently  sold  by  dealers,  and  mentioned  in  collections  of 
engraved  gems,  and  in  the  writings  of  some  recent  authors, 
is  in  reality  a  hyacinthine  garnet.  The  name  zircon  is  from 
the  Arabic  word  zerk,  signifying  a  gem,  and  the  word 
hyacinth  from  the  Persian  and  Arabian  yacut,  a  ruby. 

The  grey  or  slightly  smoky  variety  is  by  some  mineralo- 
gists solely  named  jargoon. 

TOURMALINE. 

Tourmaline  is  a  silicate  of  alumina  with  boracic  acid, 
occurring  in  hexagonal  crystals.  Its  optical  characters 
are  valuable,  in  consequence  of  its 
property  of  absorbing  one  of  the 
polarized  rays  of  light  into  which  it 
divides  every  ray  that  enters  the 
side  of  its  prism-shaped  crystal.  Its 
colour-suite  is  very  extensive — 
black,  brown,  blue,  green,  red,  yel- 
low, and  white,  or  colourless.  The 
finest  colour  is  that  of  the  ruby-red 
variety  termed  rubellite  or  siderite. 
When  free  from  flaws,  it  constitutes 
a  fine  stone.  The  finest  known  spe- 
cimen of  this  gem  is  in  the  collection 
crystal  of  Tounr.aiine.  (23.)  of  minerals  in  the  British  Museum. 


30  PRECIOUS  STONES. 

It  is  of  uncommon  form  and  dimensions,  and  was  presented 
to  Colonel  Symes  by  the  King  of  Ava.  It  has  been  valued 
at  1000Z.  This  variety  comes  from  Ava,  Ceylon,  and  Siberia. 
The  green  variety  from  Brazil  is  called  the  Brazilian 
emerald,  and  is  often  used  as  a  precious  stone.  It  is  worn 
by  the  Roman  Catholic  Bishops  of  South  America  as  a  signet 
stone. 

The  indigo-blue  kind  from  Brazil  is  called  Indicolite. 

The  yellow  and  brown  varieties  are  chiefly  brought  from 
Ceylon.  The  yellow  has  been  termed  the  Ceylon  chrysolite. 

Black  tourmaline  or  schorl  is  very  abundant  in  granite. 

The  white  variety,  which  is  very  rare,  is  found  in  the 
island  of  Elba  and  in  Siberia. 

The  name  tourmaline  appears  to  be  derived  from  the 
Cingalese  word  turamali. 

IOLITE. 

lolite  is  a  silicate  of  alumina,  magnesia,  and  iron, 
crystallizing  often  in  hexagonal  prisms.  It  is  found  in 
Spain,  Bavaria,  Greenland,  Sweden,  Norway,  Finland,  and 
in  Ceylon  in  rolled  pebbles.  It  is  also  termed  dichroite,  as  it 
shows  different  colours  in  two  directions,  appearing  of  a  deep 
blue  colour  along  the  vertical  axis,  but  red  or  yellowish  grey 
when  viewed  by  transmitted  light  at  right  angles  to  the 
axis  of  the  prism. 

It  is  occasionally  employed  as  an  ornamental  stone,  and 
is  sometimes  passed  off  as  a  sapphire. 

The  transparent  variety,  found  in  small  rolled  masses 
in  Ceylon,  is  styled  sapphire  d'eau,  or  water-sapphire,  by 
jewellers. 

Its  name  is  derived  from  iov  (violet),  in  allusion  to  its 
bluish-violet  colour,  when  viewed  in  one  direction,  and  the 
name  dichroite,  from  its  presenting  two  colours. 


SILICA  TES.  31 


KYANITE. 

Kyanite  is  a  silicate  of  alumina  of  a  delicate  sky-blue  ; 
when  transparent,  and  of  a  fine  blue  colour,  it  is  sometimes 
cut  and  employed  as  a  gem.  It  is  generally  imported  from 
India,  cut  and  polished  as  a  variety  of  sapphire.  •  It  is, 
however,  deficient  in  hardness.  It  is  found  at  St.  Gothard, 
in  Switzerland,  in  Carinthia,  Bohemia,  and  Styria.  Its 
name  is  derived  from  KVO.VOS  (blue). 

MOONSTONE. 

Moonstone  is  a  translucent  variety  of  adularia,  which  is 
a  silicate  of  alumina,  potash  and  soda.  It  presents  a  pearly 
or  silvery  play  of  colour  not  unlike  that  of  the  moon,  which 
gives  it  its  name.  Jt  'is  held  in  considerable  estimation  as 
an  ornamental  stone,  but  is  more  prized  on  the  Continent 
than  in  England.  It  is  soft  compared  with  other  gems. 
The  finest  stones  are  brought  from  Ceylon. 

CROCIDOLITE. 

Crocidolite  is  a  silicate  of  iron,  with  a  fibrous  structure 
resembling  asbestos,  and  showing,  when  cut  and  polished 
en  cabochon,  a  chatoyant  lustre  like  the  quartz  cat's-eye. 
It  is  found  in  Southern  Africa  of  bluish  colour,  green,  and 
yellowish-brown,  the  last  variety  being  the  most  lustrous. 

SUN STONE. 

Sunstone  is  a  translucent  variety  of  adularia  or  potash 
felspar  (orthoclase),  of  yellowish  colour,  with  minute 
spangles  of  oxide  of  iron  disseminated  throughout,  and 
reflecting  the  light  at  certain  angles.  It  comes  from  Ceylon, 
Siberia,  and  Norway. 

AMAZON  STONE. 

Amazon  is  a  pale  green  variety  of  felspar  (orthoclase)' 
It  is  opaque,  and  exhibits  a  nacrous  reflection ;  it  is  exces- 


32  PRECIOUS  STONES. 


sively  brittle,  but  susceptible  of  a  fine  polish.  The  name  is 
derived  from  the  circumstance  of  its  first  discovery  by  the 
Spaniards  amongst  the  ornaments  of  the  Indians  dwelling 
upon  the  River  Amazon,  near  which  it  occurs  in  rolled 
masses.  The  stone  from  Lake  "Baikal  in  Siberia  is  some- 
times, though  rarely,  in  pieces  sufficiently  large  to  be  made 
into  small  vases  and  other  ornaments. 

DIOPSIDE. 

A  silicate  of  magnesia  and  lime.     It  is  of  various  shades 
of  g'reen.     It  is  found  in  translucent  crystals,  in  veins  tra- 
versing serpentine  at  Ala,  in  Piedmont.     The  more  trans- 
parent crystals  are  sometimes  cut  and  worn  as  gems. 
HTPERSTENE. 

A  silicate  of  magnesia,  lime,  and  a  large  proportion  of 
protoxide  of  iron  ;  it  is  of  greyish  or  greenish-black  colour 
with  lamellar  structure,  and  a  bright  metallic,  pearly  lustre. 
It  is  found  in  Labrador  and  Greenland.  It  is  sometimes 
cut  for  ring-stones  and  brooches  in  France. 

IDOCRASE 

Is  a  silicate  of  alumina,  iron,  lime,  magnesia.  It  is  found 
in  crystals  in  the  cavities  of  volcanic  rocks  in  Mount  Vesu- 
vius. The  finest  specimens,  however,  come  from  Ala,  in 
the  Val  di  Brozzo,  Piedmont.  Its  colour  suite  is  extensive 
— brown,  yellow,  orange,  blue,  green,  rarely  black.  It  is  cut 
into  ring-stones  and  other  ornaments  at  Naples,  and  Turin, 
and  sold  under  various  names,  as  chrysoMte,  hyacinth, 
according  to  the  colour.  At  Naples  they  are  called  "Gemme 
di  Yesuvio." 

LAPIS  LAZULI 

Is  a  silicate  of  alumina,  soda,  lime  with  sulphur,  of  a 
beautiful  azure  colour.  Spangles  of  iron  pyrites  sometimes 
occur  disseminated  through  the  stone,  bearing  a  great 


SILICA  TES.  33 


resemblance  to  gold.  It  is  generally  found  in  granite,  and 
is  brought  from  Persia,  China,  and  Bucharia.  Notwith- 
standing its  deficiency  of  lustre,  and  its  not  being  suscep- 
tible of  a  very  exquisite  polish,  the  beauty  of  its  colour  has 
caused  this  stone  to  be  used  in  jewellery  generally  for 
brooches  and  shirt  studs.  It  is  seldom  employed  for  seals 
on  account  of  its  comparative  softness.  In  China  and  India 
this  stone  is  carved  into  cups,  vases,  dagger-handles,  &c. 
The  beautiful  pigment  ultramarine,  used  in  the  arts,  is 
produced  from  this  stone,  when  finely  powdered  and  care- 
fully washed.  The  name  lazuli  is  probably  derived  from 
the  Arabic  azul,  blue. 

NOBLE  SERPENTINE. 

A  hydrated  silicate  of  magnesia.  This  name  is  applied 
to  the  purer  translucent  and  massive  variety  of  serpentine, 
with  a  rich  oil-green  colour. 

NEPHRITE  —  JADE. 

An  anhydrous  silicate  of  magnesia.  Its  colour  varies 
from  a  creamy  white  to  a  dark  olive-green.  The  hardness 
of  this  stone  renders  it  excessively  difficult  to  cut  and  polish. 
It  is  translucent,  very  tough,  breaking  with  a  coarse,  splin- 
tery fracture.  It  is  found  in  Egypt,  China,  from  the  quar- 
ries of  Kuen-lun,  New  Zealand,  North  America. 

China  furnishes  ornamental  vases  and  cups  of  this  stone, 
elaborately  carved,  where  the  variety  called  Yu  is  highly 
prized.8  It  is  carved  into  handles  of  swords  and  daggers  in 

8  "  Between  Yurkland  and  Ladak,  and  about  a  mile  from  Gulbusha, 
we  found  numerous  remains  of  the  old  jade  works,  piles  of  rough 
broken  lumps  of  jade,  which  had  been  thrown  aside,  also  small  caves 
and  borings  in  the  alluvial  bank,  where  they  had  dug  out  the  '  water- 
deposited  '  pebbles  of  jade,  the  Yeshamba-i-ab,  which  from  its 
purity  and  compactness  is  considered  the  most  valuable.  The 


34  PRECIOUS  STONES. 

India.  Cups  of  a  mottled  variety  come  from  Siam.  In 
New  Zealand  a  variety  called  "  poenamu  "  is  fashioned  into 
clubs  (meri),  hatchets,  idols  (called  Tiki).  The  pure  trans- 
lucent kind  is  made  into  ear-pendants,  and  worn  by  the 
chiefs.  It  is  also  used  in  New  Caledonia  for  hatchets.  The 
name  nephrite  is  from  the  Greek  ve</>pos,  kidney,  in  allusion 
to  the  belief  entertained  in  former  times  of  its  influence  in 
frequently  curing  diseases  of  the  kidney.  The  French 
name  jade  is  said  to  be  derived  from  hi-jada,  the  Spanish 
word  for  kidney.  According  to  Estner  it  is  from  the  name 
igida,  by  which  it  is  called  in  India. 

JADEITE. 

A  silicate  of  alumina  and  magnesia.  It  is  an  opaque 
stone,  of  a  green  colour  mixed  with  white.  It  is  often  used 
in  India  for  sword-handles  and  other  ornaments.  The 
Chinese  variety  is  of  a  delicate  green.  The  rude  figures  of 
green  colour,  not  transparent,  mixed  with  white,  carved 
and  skilfully  polished,  found  in  tombs  in  Mexico,  are  of  this 
stone.  It  was  named  Chalchituitl  by  the  Aztecs,  who  held 
it  in  high  estimation.  The  elaborate  clasp  fastening  the 
monarch  Montezuma's  imperial  robe  was  of  this  stone.  It 
was  supposed  by  the  Spaniards  to  be  an  inferior  emerald 
(baja  esmeralda). 

quarries  extend  over  an  irregular  belt  of  a  mile  or  so  in  length,  and 
200  or  300  feet  in  breadth  along  the  mountain  side,  and  in  this  space 
there  are  the  entrances  of  at  least  100  mines. 

"  Jade-rocks  were  often  many  feet  in  thickness.  The  colour  of  the 
cut  surface  varies  from  a  light  straw-green,  through  the  diffe- 
rent shades  of  green  up  to  nearly  black.  The  latter  resembles  the 
nephrite  of  Siberia." — "  The  Jade  Quarries  of  Kuen-lun,"  by  Cayley. 
Macmillan's  Magazine,  Oct.,  1871. 

Dr.  Rennie  ("  Peking  and  the  Pekingese,"  vol.  i.  p.  291)  mentions 
seeing  at  Peking  a  very  rare  variety  of  green  jade,  to  which  great 
value  is  attached.  It  was  termed  Fate-su-ee. 


SILICATES.  35 


LABRADORITE,  OR  LABRADOR  FELSPAR. 

A  silicate  of  alumina,  lime,  and  potash.  It  exhibits 
beautiful  chatoyant  and  golden  reflections,  and  is  usually  of 
greyish-blue  colour.  It  is  found  in  Canada,  Norway,  and 
Sweden,  and  on  the  coast  of  Labrador,  whence  it  was  origi- 
nally brought,  and  hence  derives  its  name.  It  occurs  also 
in  the  Oriental  verde  antique  of  Greece,  and  in  porphyries. 
From  its  play  of  colour  and  chatoyant  reflections  it  is  some- 
times used  in  jewellery  for  ornamental  purposes,  and  also 
for  carving  grotesque  heads  in  relief. 

OBSIDIAN. 

It  consists  in  general  of  80  silica,  10  alumina,  with 
various  minor  percentages  of  potash,  soda,  lime,  oxide  of 
iron.  It  is  a  volcanic  glass  of  various  colours,  but  usually 
black  or  greenish-black;  a  green  variety  occurs  in  Cali- 
fornia. The  principal  localities  in  which  it  is  found  are 
Iceland,  Siberia,  Hungary,  New  Zealand,  New  Caledonia, 
Ascension,  Teneriffe,  the  Lipari  Islands,  Mexico,  Peru, 
Madagascar,  South  Sea  Islands,  Melos,  and  other  islands 
in  the  Grecian  Archipelago,  California,  and  N.W.  America. 

It  is  remarkable  for  its  perfect  conchoidal  fracture,  and 
for  its  sharp,  cutting  edges,  advantage  of  which  was  taken 
by  the  ancient  Mexicans,  the  inhabitants  of  Teneriffe,  and 
other  primitive  races,  who  made  it  into  arrow-heads,  knife- 
blades,  razors,  &c.  The  ancient  inhabitants  of  Mexico,  and 
also  the  Romans,  made  mirrors  of  obsidian,  and  sometimes 
used  it  as  a  gem. 

AGALMATOLITE. 

A  silicate  of  alumina  and  potash.  Its  usual  colour  is 
white  or  red,  or  both  colours  intermingled  in  bands  and 

D  2 


36  PRECIOUS  STONES. 

patches.  It  is  also  called  figure-stone,  pagodite,  and  is 
brought  from  China,  carved  into  grotesque  figures  and 
seals.  It  is  distinguished  by  its  chemical  composition  from 
steatite,  which  always  contains  magnesia,  but  no  potash. 

STEATITE. 

A  silicate  of  magnesia,  of  various  tints  of  white,  grey, 
yellow,  green,  and  red.  It  has  generally  a  soft  and 
unctuous  feel,  and  yields  to  the  nail,  but  does  not  adhere  to 
the  tongue;  It  is  also  called  soapstone.  The  white  variety 
is  carved  into  beautiful  ornaments  at  Agra,  in  India. 

SELENITE. 

A  hydrated  sulphide  of  lime,  a  translucent  variety  of 
gypsum.  It  is  frequently  used  for  ornamental  purposes  for 
necklaces,  bracelets,  &c. 

TURQUOISE. 

A  phosphate  of  alumina,  tinted  with  phosphate  of  iron, 
and  phosphate  of  copper,  of  a  beautiful  sky-blue.  It  occurs 
reniform,  stalactitic.  This  is  the  true  turquoise  de  la 
vieille  roche,  the  Oriental  or  mineral  kind.  The  best  comes 
from  Persia,  from  the  mines  of  Ansar,  near  Nishapur,  in 
Khorasan.  It  has  also  been  found  in  Arabia  Petrasa.  It 
takes  a  fine  polish,  and  is  much  employed  in  jewellery,  cut 
in  low  cabochon.  It  is  much  used  in  Oriental  countries  for 
ornamenting  swords,  daggers,  cups,  &c.  This  stone  is  very 
liable  to  lose  its  colour  under  the  action  of  alkalies,  such  as . 
are  contained  in  soap,  or  even  by  exposure  to  the  light  and 
the  action  of  the  air.  The  Mexicans  had  also  a  turquoise 
which  they  used,  as  the  Persians  have  always  done,  to  orna- 
ment objects  in  clustered  masses.  There  is  also  a  green 
variety. 


TURQUOISE.  37 


According  to  Mr.  Eastwick,  in  the  Persian  Treasury  is 
the  finest  turquoise  in  the  world,  three  or  four  inches  long 
and  without  a  flaw. 

ODONTOLITE. 

Odontolite,  or  turquoise  de  la  nouvelle  roche,  also  termed 
occidental,  or  bone  turquoise,  appears  to  be  bone  or  ivory- 
coloured  by  oxide  of  copper.  It  is  found  in  Languedoc. 
The  colour  is  generally  fine,  but  of  an  inky-blue,  which  is 
never  seen  in  the  Persian  turquoise.  Its  texture  is  very 
compact. 


38  PRECIOUS  STONES. 


PRECIOUS   OPAL. 

OPAL  is  a  hydrate  of  silica,  consisting  of  from  90  to  95  of 
silica,  and  5  to  10  of  water.  There  are  several  varieties. 
The  most  highly  prized  is  the  noble  or  precious  opal, 
which  exhibits  a  rich  play  of  prismatic  colours,  which  flash 
from  minute  fissures  apparently  striated  with  microscopic 
lines,  due  it  may  be  to  lamina,  formed  by  incipient  crystalli- 
zation. The  colour  is  not  due  to  any  colouring  matter,  but 
is  in  consequence  of  the  diffraction  of  the  light  produced 
by  these  fine  lines.  When  held  between  the  eye  and  the 
light  it  appears  of  a  pale  red  and  wine-yellow  tint,  with  a 
milky  transparency.  By  reflected  light  it  displays  the  most 
beautiful  iridescent  colours,  green,  yellow,  red,  blue,  violet. 
It  is  always  cut  with  a  convex  surface.  Fine  stones  are 
extremely  rare,  and  seldom  large.  This  variety  is  called 
the  Harlequin  opal.  Golden  opal  is  a  term  applied  to  that 
variety  in  which  only  one  colour,  an  orange-yellow,  is 
present.  The  common  varieties  do  not  exhibit  the  peculiar 
play  of  colours  termed  opalescence.  They  are  sometimes 
made  into  pins,  cane-heads,  and  other  ornaments. 

The  finest  opal  of  modern  times  was  the  Empress 
Josephine's,  entitled  the  "Burning  of  Troy,"  from  the 
innumerable  red  flames  blazing  on  its  surface,  the  reverse 
being  perfectly  opaque. 

The  largest  opal  known  is  in  the  Imperial  Cabinet  of 
Vienna.  It  is  the  size  of  a  man's  fist,  and  weighs  seventeen 


PRECIOUS  OPAL.  39 


ounces,  but  is  full  of  fissures.  Good  specimens  may  be  seen 
in  the  Townshend  Collection,  S.K.M. 

The  opal  is  found  in  Hungary,  Mexico,  and  Honduras, 
and  in  small  rounded  pieces  in  sand,  in  Ceylon. 

FIRE  OPAL 

Is  a  rich  hyacinth-red  variety  of  opal,  from  Mexico.  It  is 
also  called  Girasol  and  Sun  opal.  A  fine  specimen  is  in  the 
Beresford  Hope  Collection,  S.K.M. 

HYALITE. 

A  semi-transparent  variety  of  opal,  occurring  in  small 
reniform,  botryoidal  forms,  resembling  glass. 

HTDROPHANE. 

A  variety  of  opal  of  a  dull  appearance,  but  which  when 
immersed  in  water  acquires  all  the  opalescent  tints  of  the 
precious  opal.  It  is  also  of  an  opaque  yellow,  which  when 
moistened  becomes  quite  transparent.  It  adheres  to  the 
tongue.  Its  name  is  derived  from  t>Swp,  water,  and  <£cuW, 
to  appear. 

CACHOLONG. 

A  variety  of  opal,  so  called  from  its  being  found  in  great 
beauty  on  the  borders  of  the  River  Cach,  in  Bucharia.  It 
is  nearly  opaque,  of  a  milky  or  bluish-white  colour,  dull 
exteriorly,  but  with  a  somewhat  pearly  lustre  within.  It  is 
sometimes  found  associated  with  hydrophane. 

MATRIX  OF  OPAL. 

A  porphyry  containing  minute  veins  of  opal,  running 
through  it.  Snuff-boxes  and  other  ornaments  are  made 
of  it. 


40 


PRECIOUS  STONES. 


ROCK  CRYSTAL. 

This  colourless  variety  of  vitreous  quartz  consists  of  pure 
silica  crystallized.  It  is  very  common  in.  granite  and  other 
rocks  and  veins,  in  the  shape  of  rock-crystal,  presenting 
itself  in  six-sided  prisms,  terminating  at  one  or  both  ends  in 
six-sided  shining  pyramids.  It  scratches  glass,  and  is 
harder  than  felspar,  but  is  not  so  hard  as  topaz.  It  is 


(24).  (25). 

found  in  various  localities  in  almost  every  part  of  the 
globe;  in  the  East  Indies,  Ceylon,  Brazil,  in  several 
parts  of  England,  Ireland,  Scotland,  where  the  crystals 
are  called  diamonds,  such  as  Bristol  diamonds,  Isle  of 
Wight  diamonds,  Irish  diamonds.  It  is  employed  for  orna- 
mental purposes.  In  India  it  is  cut  into  cups,  vases,  some 
elaborately  carved. 

AMETHYST. 

Quartz,  or  rock  crystal,  coloured  by  a  minute  portion  of 
iron  and  manganese.      It  is  a  transparent  stone  of  a  purple 


VITREOUS  QUARTZ.  41 

or  violet  colour.  The  finest  amethysts  are  brought  from 
India,  Persia,  Ceylon,  Brazil,  and  Siberia.  It  is  also  found 
in  Ireland.  It  is  chiefly  used  for  brooches  and  other  orna- 
mental purposes.  The  deep  purple-coloured  specimens  are 
frequently  called  Oriental,  by  jewellers,  to  be  distinguished 
from  the  true  Oriental  amethyst  or  violet  sapphire. 

YELLOW  CRYSTAL. 

This  variety  of  quartz  is  sometimes  called  false  topaz. 
The  wine-coloured  variety  is  called  Cairngorm,  after  the 
name  of  the  mountain  in  Invernessshire,  where  it  is  found. 
It  is  frequently  used  for  ornamenting  the  handles  of  dirks, 
powder-horns,  snuff-boxes,  and  other  articles  belonging  to 
Highland  costume.  This  yellow  variety  is  found  in  every 
part  of  the  world,  in  Brazil,  Switzerland,  Siberia,  India. 

The  deep-coloured  crystals  found  in  Brazil  are  called 
cinnamon-stone,  the  French  term  being  "  pierre  de  cannelle." 
A  fine  kind  is  also  found  in  Spain,  of  a  dark  yellowish- 
brown,  which  when  heated  becomes  light-coloured,  and 
assumes  a  fine  orange  tint. 

BLUE  CRYSTAL. 

Water- worn  pebbles  of  crystal,  of  a  beautiful  blue  colour, 
are  found  in  France  in  the  stream  of  Rioupezzouliou,  near 
Expilly,  in  Auvergne :  they  have  been  called  saphirs  de 
France,  or  saphirs  de  Puy-en-Velai. 

ROSE  QUARTZ. 

A  transparent  variety  of  quartz  of  a  rose-red  or  pink 
colour,  probably  produced  by  manganese.  It  is  sometimes 
employed  in  jewellery.  When  cut  and  polished,  and  of 
good  colour,  it  is  sometimes  sold  for  spinel.  It  is  found  in 


42  PRECIOUS  STONES. 

Rabenstein,  in  Bavaria,  in  a  vein  of  manganese  traversing 
granite,  in  France,  in  Finland,  and  also  in  Scotland  and 
Ireland. 

CITRINE. 
A  variety  of  crystal  of  a  lemon-yellow  colour. 

SMOKY  QUARTZ. 

Crystals  of  quartz  of  a  brown  or  smoke-coloured  tint.  It 
is  also  called  morion. 

IRIS. 

The  name  applied  by  French  jewellers  to  a  variety  of 
rock  crystal,  possessing  the  property  of  reflecting  the  pris- 
matic colours  by  means  of  natural  flaws  in  the  interior  of 
the  stone.  It  may  be  produced  artificially  by  dropping 
crystals  suddenly  into  boiling  water,  or  by  heating  and 
suddenly  dropping  it  into  cold  water.  The  Empress 
Josephine  possessed  a  suite  of  ornaments  made  of  this 
stone. 

RUBASSE. 

A  name  given  by  French  lapidaries  to  a  variety  of  rock 
crystal  with  rose-coloured  cracks.  These  fissures  are 
artificially  produced  by  heating  the  crystal  red-hot  and 
then  plunging  it  into  a  solution  of  purple  of  cassius,  or 
carmine. 

AVANTURINE. 

A  translucent  variety  of  vitreous  quartz  of  reddish  colour, 
and  containing  minute  yellow  spangles  of  mica.  It  is  found 
in  India,  Bohemia,  Cape  de  Gata,  in  Spain,  and  in  Siberia. 
Many  ornamental  articles  are  made  of  it.  An  artificial 
variety  of  it  is  made  at  Venice.  It  was  discovered  by 


CHALCEDON1C  QUARTZ.  43 

chance  (par  avantura),  a  workman  having  accidentally 
let  fall  some  brass  filings  into  a  pot  of  melted  glass.  The 
name  has  been  derived  from  this. 

A  beautiful  green  variety  is  found  in  India,  which  is 
sometimes  used  for  glyptic  purposes.  In  the  collection  of 
Dr.  Wise  is  a  lingam  of  green  avanturine,  with  the  head  of 
Siva  carved  on  it. 

PRASE. 

A  dull  but  hard  green  impure  translucent  variety  of 
vitreous  quartz,  the  colour  of  which  is  caused  by  an  admix- 
ture of  amphibole.  It  seems  seldom  noticed,  but  the  name  is 
very  frequently  confounded  by  some  writers  with  plasma, 
a  green  chalcedony.  It  is  found  in  the  iron-mines  of 
Breitenbrunn,  near  Schwartzenberg,  in  Saxony,  and  on  the 
Harz. 

CHALCEDONY. 

Pure  chalcedony  is  a  most  intimate  mixture  of  silica  in 
the  two  states  of  quartz  and  opal,  and  in  variable  propor- 
tions. It  is  colourless,  or  a  very  pale  horn  colour;  but 
tinted  with  small  quantities  of  iron  and  other  substances  it 
forms  a  brilliant,  endless  variety  of  sards,  agates,  cornelians, 
plasmas,  &c. 

WHITE  CARNELIAN 
Is  the  milk-white  variety  of  chalcedony. 

SAPPHIRINE. 

A  name  applied  by  lapidaries  to  chalcedony  of  a  blue 
tint. 

Another  variety  of  chalcedony  is  that  of  a  yellow  colour. 
Opaline  is  a  term  sometimes  applied  to  a  variety  of  yellow 
chalcedony  which  presents  an  opaline  semi-opacity. 


44  PRECIOUS  STONES. 

CARNELIAN. 

The  red  variety  of  chalcedony.  Its  colour  ranges  from  a 
clear  bright  red  tint  to  a  deep  reddish-brown.  The  colour 
is  due  to  the  presence  of  iron.  The  Occidental  variety,  so 
named  to  distinguish  it  from  the  Oriental  variety,  or  sard,  is 
generally  of  a  dull  red,  and  is  deficient  in  the  rich  hues  of 
the  latter  stone.  It  is  susceptible  of  a  high  polish,  and  for 
that  reason,  and  the  brightness  of  its  colour,  it  has  always 
been  a  favourite  substance,  much  used  for  seals,  brooches, 
rings,  necklaces,  &c.  It  is  found  in  Bohemia,  Saxony,  and 
in  Scotland.  The  name  is  derived  from  carneus  (from  caro, 
flesh)  in  allusion  to  its  colour. 

SARD. 

The  name  sard  is  only  applied  to  the  Oriental  variety  of 
carnelian,  or  red  chalcedony.  The  sard,  when  in  its  perfec- 
tion, is  of  a  full,  rich  reddish-brown  colour,  and  when  held 
between  the  eye  and  the  light  exhibits  a  deep  ruby  colour, 
approaching  to  cherry  red,  or  blood  red.  The  French  term 
the  deep  brownish-red  variety  of  this  stone,  almost  inclining 
to  black,  sardoine,  calling  the  red  alone  cornaline.  The 
finest  sards  come  from  Cambay  and  Surat  in  India.  They 
are  also  found  in  Arabia.  The  sard  was  much  used  by  the 
ancients  for  intagli. 

Cornaline  de  vieille  roche,  is  a  name  given  by  lapidaries 
to  the  clear,  transparent  Oriental  variety  of  carnelian  of  a 
dark  red  colour,  and  held  in  most  esteem  in  consequence  of 
the  richness  of  its  colour,  and  its  hardness,  which  renders  it 
susceptible  of  a  high  polish.  It  is  found  in  the  older  rocks, 
and  is  chiefly  brought  from  Surat,  in  India. 

ONYX. 

A  variety  of  chalcedony  in  alternate  stripes  of  black  and 


CHALCEDONIC  QUARTZ.  45 

white.  The  name  is  more  especially  applied  to  the  strata 
of  agate,  when  cut  in  only  two  parallel  horizontal  layers,  the 
white  being  uppermost.  There  are  two  varieties  of  onyx, 
the  Oriental  and  the  Occidental.  The  Oriental  is  of  a  fine 
texture,  and  extremely  hard.  It  generally  comes  from 
India.  The  Occidental  variety,  especially  that  from  Ober- 
stein,  is  softer  than  the  Oriental.  The  finest  onyxes,  from 
the  earliest  times,  came  from  India,  principally  from  Broach, 
near  Cambay,  and  from  Malwa;  the  greater  number  at  the 
present  day  come  from  Uruguay,  in  Brazil,  and  are  worked 
up  into  ornamental  stones  at  Oberstein.  These  are  mostly 
all  artificially  coloured.  The  word  onyx  is  derived  from 
ow£,  a  nail,  because  it  has  a  white  in  it  resembling  that  in 
the  nail  of  a  man's  finger.  (Pliny.) 

SARDONYX. 

A  variety  of  chalcedony  consisting  of  alternate  parallel 
layers  of  white  and  red  chalcedony,  and  in  some  instances 
of  more  than  two  layers,  when  an  upper  brown  one  is 
introduced.  When  used  for  the  purposes  of  art,  it  is  so 
arranged  that  the  white  layer  is  over  the  red,  or  sard. 
The  Oriental  variety  is  most  prized,  and  was  the  only  kind 
used  by  ancient  artists  ;  the  Occidental  variety  is  that  gene- 
rally adopted  for  camei,  or  ornaments  at  the  present  day. 

This  variety  of  onyx  has  been  defined  by  Pliny  as  pre- 
senting a  white  layer  over  one  of  sard  (candor  in  sarda), 
like  the  human  nail  over  flesh. 

CHALCEDONYX. 

A  variety  of  chalcedony,  with  alternating  layers  of  white 
and  grey,  the  white  being  uppermost  when  used  for  camei. 


46  PRECIOUS  STONES. 

AGATHE-ONYX. 

Agathe-onyx  is  a  name  given  by  the  French  to  that 
variety  in  which  the  upper  layer  is  opaque  and  white,  the 
lower  transparent,  and  either  colourless  or  a  pale  yellow. 
This  is  the  material  most  frequently  employed  for  modern 
carving,  and  is  often  termed  the  German  onyx,  where  the 
ancients  preferred  almost  exclusively  for  that  purpose  the 
opaque  and  rich-coloured  strata  of  the  Indian  sardonyx. 

NICOLO. 

A  variety  of  onyx  so  called,  when  the  lower  layer  is 
black,  and  the  upper  one  of  a  bluish  tint.  When  used  for 
intagli,  the  design  is  cut  through  the  upper  layer  to  the 
lower  one.  It  generally  exhibits  a  bevel  edge.  The  name 
nicolo  is  from  the  Italian  word  onicolo  (a  little  onyx). 

BANDED  AGATE. 

When  an  agate  is  so  cut  that  the  layers  run  across  the 
face  of  the  stone  it  is  termed  "tri-coloured,"  or  banded  agate. 
It  was  a  favourite  stone  of  the  Italo-Greek  engravers. 

JASPER  ONYX.    JASPER  AGATE. 

These  are  varieties  in  which  one  or  more  of  the  layers 
of  the  agate  are  formed  of  a  coloured  jasper. 

PLASMA. 

A  leek-green  translucent  chalcedony,  possessing  a  waxy 
lustre,  and  sometimes  exhibiting  small  black  spots.  The 
stone  used  by  ancient  engravers  came  from  India ;  at  the 
present  day  it  comes  from  Schwarzwald,  near  Baden; 
Hauskopf,  near  Oppenau.  Many  antique  intagli  occur  in 
this  stone. 


CHALCEDONIC  QUARTZ.  47 

The  word  plasma  is  an  Italian  corruption  of  prasius  or 
prasina.  It  is  called  by  the  Italians  plasma  di  smeraldo, 
or  prasma.  This  stone  is  not  to  be  confounded  with  prase, 
a  dull  green  vitreous  quartz,  a  mistake  frequently  made  by 
some  writers  of  the  present  day. 

HELIOTROPE. 

A  translucent  green  chalcedony,  or  plasma  with  red  spots. 
The  finest  kind  comes  from  India. 

AGATE. 

Agates  are  mixtures  in  alternating  layers  of  various 
varieties  of  chalcedony.  They  have  been  usually  formed 
by  infiltration  of  siliceous  waters  into  cavities  in  trap- 
rocks,  and  the  layers  in  the  agate  mark  the  successive  and 
often  concentric  walls  of  the  cavity  as  from  time  to  time 
new  deposits  were  formed  in  the  interior.  In  amygdaloid 
they  are  mostly  found  in  the  form  of  hollow  balls  or  geodes, 
coated  inside  with  quartz  or  amethyst.  The  hardest  and 
finest-coloured  are  those  of  India  and  Uruguay,  in  Brazil. 
Softer  agates  are  found  in  Germany,  and  in  other  localities. 
The  finest  varieties  are  termed  Oriental.  From  these 
stones,  the  onyx,  sardonyx,  are  produced  when  cut  in 
parallel  horizontal  layers. 

The  best  Indian  agates,  Mr.  Forbes  tells  us,9  are  found  in 
peculiar  strata,  thirty  feet  under  the  surface  of  the  earth, 
in  a  small  tract  among  the  Rajpipla  hills,  on  the  banks  ot 
the  Nerbudda;  they  are  not  to  be  met  with  in  any  other 
part  of  Guzerat,  and  are  generally  cut  and  polished  in 
Cambay. 

"  In  the  neighbourhood  of  Broach,  nodules  of  agate  are 

9  "  Oriental  Mems.,"  vol.  ii.  p.  20. 


48  PRECIOUS  STONES. 

procured  by  sinking  pits  in  the  dry  season  in  the  channels 
of  torrents.  Their  colour  when  recent  is  dark  olive-green, 
inclining  to  grey.  The  preparation  which  they  undergo  is, 
first,  exposure  to  the  sun  for  several  weeks,  and  then  calci- 
nation. The  latter  process  is  performed  by  packing  the 
stones  in  earthen  pots,  and  covering  them  with  a  layer  five 
or  six  inches  thick  of  dried  goat's-dung.  Fire  is  then 
applied  to  the  mass,  and  in  twelve  hours  the  pots  are  suf- 
ficiently cool  to  be  removed.  The  stones  which  they  con- 
tain are  now  examined,  and  are  found  to  be  some  of  them 
red,  and  others  nearly  white,  the  difference  in  their  respec- 
tive tints  depending  in*  part  on  the  original  quality  of 
colouring  matter,  and  in  part,  perhaps,  on  the  difference  in- 
the  heat  to  which  they  have  been  exposed." l 

Immense  quantities  of  agates  are  obtained  from  Uruguay, 
which  are  cut  and  polished  at  Oberstein,  in  Rhenish  Ba- 
varia, whence  they  are  exported  to  all  parts  of  the  world. 

Agates  are  also  found  at  Oberstein,  and  in  Scotland. 

Sicily  furnishes  a  variety  of  agate  mottled  with  yellow 
and  white,  and  red  and  white.  It  never  occurs  in  layers  or 
stripes. 

The  colours  of  agate,  when  indistinct,  may  be  also  in- 
creased, by  steeping  first  in  oil  or  honey,  and  afterwards 
boiling  in  sulphuric  acid,  which  turns  the  carbon  of  the  oil 
or  honey  absorbed  by  this  stone  to  a  light  or  dark  brown, 
or  black,  according  to  the  quantity  that  has  penetrated, 
which  is  in  proportion  to  the  more  or  less  porous  nature  of 
the  stone  or  parts  of  the  stone. 

The  sard  or  red  tint  is  produced  by  soaking  the  colour- 
less grey  chalcedony  in  a  solution  of  nitric  acid,  water,  and 
iron,  and  then  heating  it  to  turn  it  into  red. 

1  Jamieson's  "Mineralogy,"  vol.  i.  p.  255. 


CHALCEDON1C  QUARTZ.  49 

These  practices  are  adopted  at  Oberstein,  in  Germany,  at 
the  present  day. 

These  stones  are  much  employed  in  a  polished  state  for 
ornamental  articles,  as  brooches,  bracelets,  beads,  seals, 
paper-knives,,  &c.  All  these  articles,  sold  at  watering- 
places  in  different  parts  of  England,  are  made  from  agates, 
which  come  from  Brazil,  but  which  are  cut  and  polished  at 
Oberstein,  in  Germany.  Sicilian  agates  are  frequently 
used  for  handles  of  knives  and  ornamental  purposes. 
The  churches  in  Sicily  are  profusely  ornamented'  with 
them. 

Lapidaries  have  given  distinctive  names  to  the  numerous 
varieties  of  the  agate;  such  as,  moss  agate,  ribbon  agate,  eye 
agate,  fortification  agate,  zoned  or  banded  agate,  variegated 
agate,  brecciated  agate,  mocha  stone. 

Moss  agate  is  that  variety  which  encloses  dendritic  or 
moss-like  markings  of  various  shades. 

Ribbon  agate  is  so  called,  when  the  layers  are  nearly 
straight  and  parallel. 

Eye  agate  is  a  term  applied  to  those  small  kinds  of  circle 
agate,  which  show  a  dark  spot  in  the  centre.  It  is  much 
prized  in  India. 

Fortification  agate,  when  the  layers  are  zigzag,  from  its 
general  resemblance  to  the  outline  of  a  fortification. 

Zoned  or  banded  agate,  when  the  stone  is  so  cut  that  the 
layers,  usually  dark  and  white,  run  across  the  face  of  it.  It 
is  sometimes  styled  tri-coloured. 

Brecciated  agates  consist  of  fragments  of  jasper,  blood- 
stone, cornelian,  &c.,  cemented  by  a  paste  of  chalcedony. 

Mocha  stone  is  a  translucent  variety  of  chalcedony,  con- 
taining brown  and  black  markings  resembling  trees  and 
plants,  occasioned  probably  by  the  infiltration  of  iron  or 
manganese.  It  is  found  in  Arabia,  whence  the  name  mocha 

£ 


50  PRECIOUS  STONES. 

stone.     Others  say  it  is  a  corruption  of  moschos  (or  moss) 
stone. 

The  name  agate  is  derived  from  that  of  the  river  Achates, 
in  Sicily,  where,  according  to  Theophrastus,  agates  were 
first  found. 

CAT'S  EYE. 

A  variety  of  chalcedonic  quartz,  usually  of  a  yellowish- 
greenish  colour,  sometimes  hyacinth  red,  olive  green,  and 
blackish.  When  cut  en  cabochon  it  displays  a  peculiar 
floating  lustre,  resembling  the  contracted  pupil  of  a  cat's 
eye  when  held  to  the  light,  which  is  supposed  to  be  caused 
by -the  presence  of  small  parallel  fibres  of  asbestos.  It  is 
mostly  used  as  a  ring-stone.  The  finest  kinds  come  from 
Ceylon  and  Malabar.  It  is  greatly  esteemed  by  the  modern 
Hindoos,  and  a  high  value  set  on  it.  The  largest  known  is 
in  the  Beresford  Hope  collection,  S.K.M.  It  formerly 
belonged  to  the  King  of  Candy.  It  is  hemispherical,  1J 
inches  in  diameter.  The  Italian  name  for  cat's  eye  is 
bel-occhio. 

CHRYSOPRASE. 

An  apple-green  variety  of  chalcedony,  coloured  by  oxide 
of  nickel.  It  is  only  found  at  Kosemuth,  in  Siberia.  In 
France  it  is  much  used  for  seals,  snuff-boxes,  brooches,  and 
ornaments. 

JASPER. 

A  compact  variety  of  quartz,  rendered  opaque  by  a  small 
proportion  of  alumina  and  iron.  It  is  usually  of  a  dull  red, 
yellow,  brown,  or  green  colour,  sometimes  blue  or  black. 
A  red  jasper,  of  a  vermilion  colour,  is  found  in  a  breccia  in 
India,  and  also  in  Egypt.  Pebbles  of  red  jasper  are  found 
on  the  plains  of  Argos  ;  yellow  jasper  is  found  at  Vourla, 


JASPER  Y  QUAR  TZ.  51 

in  the  bay  of  Smyrna.  Red  jasper  is  coloured  by  the 
peroxide  ;  yellow  and  brown  by  the  hydrate  of,  iron  ;  green 
jasper  is  coloured  by  a  mixture  of  the  green  mineral 
chlorite. 

When  the  colours  are  arranged  in  stripes  it  is  called 
striped  or  ribbon  jasper.  A  variety  with  stripes  of  red  and 
green  comes  from  Siberia,  and  another  with  stripes  of 
yellow,  red,  and  white  from  India. 

Egyptian  jasper  occurs  in  the  form  of  pebbles  on  the 
banks  of  the  Nile,  and  is  zoned  with  shades  of  brown,  fre- 
quently spotted  with  black. 

Sicily  furnishes  a  fine  variety  of  jasper,  of  which  cups, 
tables,  altars,  even  pillars  and  columns,  are  made. 

Jasper  is  susceptible  of  a  brilliant  polish,  and  is  manu- 
factured into  brooches,  snuff-boxes,  vases,  knife-handles, 
and  other  ornamental  articles. 

The  jasper  (jaspis)  is  undoubtedly  a  word  of  Semitic 
origin.  It  is  the  Hebrew  jashpeh  (firm,  tough),  from 
jashat  (to  be  strengthened),  a  derivation  that  derives 
some  interest  from  the  fact  that  nearly  all  the  Semitic 
(Phoenician)  gems  we  know  are  engraved  on  a  chloritic 
green  jasper,  known  as  jaspis  by  Greek  and  Latin  lapi- 
daries.2 

BLOODSTONE. 

A  green  jasper  spotted  with  red  spots.  It  is  often  used 
for  seals.  In  the  middle  ages  it  was  held  in  high  esteem  ; 
as  the  red  spots  were  supposed  to  be  the  blood  of  Christ. 
It  is  found  massive  in  India,  Bucharia,  Tartary,  Siberia. 
In  Italy  it  is  termed  jaspro  sanguineo  (sanguineus  jasper). 
This  stone  is  often  confounded  with  heliotrope,  or  green 
chalcedony  with  red  spots.. 

2  "  Precious  Stones,"  Edinburgh  Revieiv,  July,  1866,  p.  237. 
E    2 


52  PRECIOUS  STONES. 

PORCELAIN  JASPER,  OR  PORCELLANITE. 

A  clay  altered  by  heat,  and  often  having  the  aspect  of 
certain  kinds  of  porcelain. 

MAGNETITE. 

A  magnetic  iron  ore,  consisting  of  about  69  iron  peroxide 
with  31  iron  protoxide.  It  is  of  iron-black  colour,  with  a 
metallic  lustre  ;  strongly  magnetic,  especially  when  massive. 
It  is  found  in  India,  Hungary,  Saxony,  Siberia,  France, 
and  many  other  countries. 

Babylonian  cylinders  are  sometimes  made  of  this  stone. 

HEMATITE. 

A  peroxide  of  iron,  opaque,  of  an  iron-black  colour  with 
red  streaks.  It'  is  found  in  France,  Spain,  Germany, 
Russia,  and  in  many  parts  of  England. 

It  is  sometimes  hard  enough  to  take  a  very  fine  polish, 
and  is  thus  used  for  polishing  glass,  gold,  steel,  and  other 
metals. 

It  is  distinguished  from  magnetite  by  its  red  streaks. 
Babylonian  cylinders  and  intagli  are  frequently  found  of 
this  stone. 

MARCASITE. 

White  iron  pyrites,  or  sulphuret  of  iron.  It  takes  a  good 
polish,  and  is  cut  into  facets,  like  the  rose  diamond.  In 
this  state  it  possesses  all  the  brightness  of  polished  steel. 
It  was  formerly  much  employed  for  ornamental  purposes, 
when  it  was  made  into  shoe  and  knee  buckles,  and  set  in 
pins,  bracelets,  &c. 

DIOPTASE. 
A  silicate  of  copper,  of  an  emerald  green  colour  and  of  a 


MALACHITE.  53 


vitreous  lustre.  It  occurs  disposed  in  small  crystals  on 
quartz  in  the  copper  mines  at  Altyn  Tube,  in  Siberia.  It 
has  been  sold  for  emerald  by  ignorant  dealers.  A  specimen 
of  this  stone  passed  off  as  an  emerald  may  be  seen  in  the 
Geological  Museum,  Jermyn  Street. 

MALACHITE. 

Green  carbonate  of  copper.  It  occurs  in  reniform, 
botryoidal,  and  stalagmitic  masses  in  copper  mines.  Its 
colour  is  of  various  shades  of  green,  from  a  light,  bright 
green,  to  a  dark  opaque  kind.  Fine  specimens  are  worked 
up  into  vases,  snuff-boxes,  and  other  ornaments.  The 
finest  variety  comes  from  Siberia,  about  100  miles  south  of 
Bogoslofsk.  Fine  specimens  are  also  found  in  Australia, 
at  Burra-Burra.  The  name  is  derived  from  /xaXa^,  the 
marsh-mallow,  on  account  of  its  resemblance  in  colour 
to  the  leaves  of  this  plant. 

AZURITE. 

Blue  carbonate  of  copper,  of  an  azure  blue  colour.  It 
generally  occurs  associated  with  malachite.  It  is  also 
called  chessylite,  a  name  which  has  been  given  to  it  from 
Chessy,  near  Lyons,  where  it  occurs  in  beautiful  crystals. 


54,  PRECIOUS  STONES. 


PEARLS. 

Pearls  are  concretions  of  carbonate  of  lime  found  in 
certain  shell-fish  (avicnla,  ostrea,  unio,  pinna),  and  are 
formed  of  infinitely  delicate  layers  of  shell  matter  around 
some  foreign  body  accidentally  introduced  into  the  shell 
(usually  a  grain  of  sand),  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the 
irritation  its  roughness  would  otherwise  occasion  to  the 
tender  inmate. 

They  are  found  of  different  colours,  white,  yellow,  pink, 
black. 

The  principal  pearl-fisheries  are  in  the  east,  on  the  west 
coast  of  Ceylon,  in  the  Bay  of  Manaar,  in  the  Persian 
Gulf.  They  also  come  from  Panama  and  California. 

They  are  much  prized  for  ornamental  purposes,  and  are 
generally  worn  strung  as  necklaces  or  in  ear-rings. 

The  pearl  necklace  of  the  Empress  of  the  French  is  one 
of  the  finest  known.  The  necklace,  presented  to  her 
Majesty  by  the  East  India  Company  is  equally  fine. 

The  largest  known  pearl,  weighing  three  ounces,  and  set 
as  a  pendant,  is  in  the  Beresford  Hope  Collection,  in  the 
South  Kensington  Museum.  It  is  pear-shaped,  and  measures 
2  inches  deep  by  2|  in  circumference  at  the  longer  end. 

The  Shah  of  Persia  has  a  pearl  valued  at  60,000/. 

All  the  different  varieties  of  the  pearl,  together  with  an 
example  of  the  pearl-bearing  oyster,  exhibiting  the  pearl  in 
the  fish,  may  be  seen  at  the  South  Kensington  Museum. 


AMBER.  55 


AMBER. 

A  fossilized  gum  or  resin  found  in  irregular  masses  of  all 
shades  of  yellow,  from  the  palest  primrose  to  the  deepest 
orange,  sometimes  brown.  Its  lustre  is  resinous  or  waxy, 
and  varies  from  transparent  to  opaque.  The  composi- 
tions are,  earbon,  78*96  ;  hydrogen,  10-51  ;  oxygen,  10'52. 
It  becomes  negatively  electric  by  friction.  According  to 
Goeppert,  amber  is  the  mineralized  resin  of  extinct  coniferse, 
one  of  which  he  has  named  Pinites  succinifer,  or  amber- 
bearing  pine-tree. 

Amber  is  found  in  abundance  on  the  Prussian  coast  of 
the  Baltic,  from  Dantzig  to  Memel,  also  on  the  coast  of 
Denmark,  in,  Sweden,  Norway,  Moravia,  Poland,  Switzer- 
land, and  in  France.  It  is  also  found  on  the  Sicilian  coast 
near  Catania,  at  Hasen  Island  in  Greenland,  and  occa- 
sionally on  the  coast  of  Norfolk,  Essex,  Sussex,  and  Kent. 

That  found  on  the  coast  is  distinguished  as  marine 
amber.  The  other  description,  called  terrestrial  amber,  is 
dug  out  of  mines,  and  is  generally  found  in  alluvial  deposits 
of  sand  and  clay,  associated  with  fossil  wood,  iron  pyrites, 
and  alum  shale. 

Insects  and  other  animals  frequently  occur  enclosed  in  it. 
They  appear  to  have  been  entangled  in  the  viscous  sub- 
stance while  alive.  In  the  Beresford  Hope  Collection  is  a 
piece  of  amber  in  which  is  a  small  fish. 

Yellow  amber,  cut  in  facets  or  simply  in  heads  for 
bracelets  and  necklaces,  was  in  fashion  some  years  ago.  At 
the  present  day  it  is  chiefly  used  in  the  east  by  the  Turks, 
Egyptians,  Arabs,  Persians,  and  the  natives  of  India,  .to 
ornament  their  pipes,  arms,  the  saddles  and  bridles  of  their 
horses.  At  the  present  day  in  Europe  it  is  still  used  for 
the  mouthpieces  of  pipes.  The  translucent  yellow  variety 


56  PRECIOUS  STONES. 

is  the  rarest  and  the  most  prized  by  the  Orientals.  In  the 
Museum  of  Mineralogy  in  Paris  is  the  handle  of  a  cane 
made  of  pure  limpid  yellow  amber.  The  semi-opaque  or 
"  clouded  "  variety  was  much  prized  in  England  in  the  age 
of  Pope  and  Gay. 

JET. 

A  variety  of  lignite  (fossil  wood  imperfectly  mineralized), 
the  colour  is  velvet  black. 

'Jet  is  found  principally  in  the  amber  mines  on  the  coast 
of  the  Baltic,  where  it  is  known  by  the  name  of  black 
amber,  and  in  alum  shale  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Whitby 
in  Yorkshire.  It  is  there  made  into  various  articles,  and  is 
especially  used  for  mourning  ornaments. 

CORAL. 

Coral  is  a  production  secreted  by  marine  asteroids,  polypi, 
or  zoophytes.  It  is  composed  of  carbonate  of  lime,  a  little 
magnesia,  and  a  very  small  percentage  of  oxide  of  iron.  It 
assumes  a  peculiar  plant-like  form  with  numerous  branches. 
It  is  found  of  several  colours,  red,  pink,  green,  brown,  and 
yellow,  as  well  as  white  and  black.  The  pale  delicate  pink 
is  the  most  valued,  and  realizes  a  high  price. 

Coral  is  found  in  enormous  reefs  in  the  seas  in  many 
parts  of  the  globe.  That  adapted  for  purposes  of  ornament 
comes  almost  entirely  from  the  Mediterranean,  and  is  found 
principally  on  the  African  coast. 

At  Naples  and  Genoa  it  is  largely  used  for  ornamental 
purposes,  and  is  carved  into  bracelets,  necklaces,  beads,  and 
charms  against  the  evil  eye. 

FLUOR  SPAR. 
A  fluoride  of  calcium,  consisting  of  67*15  lime  and  33'2o 


FLUOR  SPAR.  57 


fluoric  acid.  It  occurs  chiefly  in  veins  either  crystallized 
in  cubes,  in  granular  crystalline  masses,  or  compact  and 
earthy.  Its  colours  are  various,  the  more  common  being 
violet  blue,  yellow,  green,  and  purplish  blue  passing  into 
red.  The  red  tints  are  produced  by  exposing  it  to  heat. 

The  finest  specimens  for  ornamental  purposes  come  from 
Tray  Cliff  in  Derbyshire,  and  are  called  Blue  John.  It  is 
also  found  in  other  parts  of  Derbyshire,  and  in  Cornwall. 
It  occurs,  too,  in  Mont  Blanc,  St.  Gothard,  in  Bohemia,  and 
in  Italy,  in  the  Lombardian  Alps.  In  Derbyshire  it  is 
largely  manufactured  into  ornamental  articles,  tazzas, 
vases,  &c. 

Eight  large  blocks  of  fluor  spar  have  been  lately  disco- 
vered at  the  Marmorata,  the  site  of  the  ancient  Emporium, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Tiber,  Rome,  where  they  were  evi- 
dently imported  from  the  East,  with  other  blocks  of  Oriental 
marble  found  there.  This  variety  of  fluor  spar  exhibits  all 
the  colours  of  the  Occidental  kind,  violet  blue,  purple,  green, 
red,  with  veins  of  white  (hornstone)  winding  through  it. 
A  block  of  fluor  spar  was  some  years  ago  in  the  possession 
of  a  Roman  dealer  in  antiquities  of  the  name  of  Rolli,  which 
he  sold  to  the  Jesuits,  who  had  it  cut  up  into  thin  slabs  to 
form  the  front  of  the  altar  of  their  church,  the  Gesu.  Rolli 
gave  out  he  found  it  digging  the  foundations  of  a  house, 
but  it  is  now  known  he  stole  it  from  the  Marmorata.3 

3  See  article  on  "  Murrhina." 


58  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


ANTIQUE   GEMS. 


ADAMAS. — CORUNDUM. 

THE  adamas  of  Pliny  has  been  identified  by  many  writers 
with  the  diamond,  but  we  are  inclined  to  adopt  Professor 
Dana's  opinion,  that  it  is  doubtful  whether  Pliny  had  any 
acquaintance  with  the  real  diamond. 

According  to  Pliny,  "the  Indian  adamas  appeared  to 
have  a  certain  affinity  to  crystal,  being  colourless  and  trans- 
parent, having  six  angles,  polished  faces,  and  terminating 
like  a  pyramid  in  a  sharp  point  (laterum  sexangulo  Icevore 
turbinatus  in  mucronem),  or  also  pointed  at  the  opposite 
extremities,  as  though  two  whipping-tops  (turbines)  were 
joined  together  by  their  broadest  ends."  This  description 
correctly  delineates  the  form  of  a  crystal  of  corundum  which 
is  hexagonal,  commonly  occurring  crystallized  in  six-sided 
prisms.  It  is  also  found  in  obtuse  and  acute  double  hexa- 
hedral  pyramids  (Pliny's  turbines).  It  is  generally  found 
nearly  colourless  and  transparent,  but  frequently  with  a 
bluish  tint.  The  crystallization  of  the  diamond,  on  the 
other  hand,  is  octahedral,  and  hence  it  is  evident  it  is  not 
the  stone  described  here. 

The  hardness  of  the  adamas,  Pliny  says,  is  beyond  all 
expression,  owing  to  which  indomitable  powers  it  is  that  it 
has  received  the  name  which  it  derives  from  the  Greek  (a, 
not,  and  Sa/xaw,  to  subdue).  The  corundum  is  next  in  hard- 


ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


ness  to  the  diamond.    "  These  stones,"  he  further  says,  "  are 
tested  with  the  anvil,  and  will  resist  the  blow  to  such  an 


Octahedral  crystal  of  Diamond.  Hexahedral  crystal  of  Corundum. 

extent  as  to  make  the  iron  rebound,  and  the  very  anvil 
split  asunder."  This,  however,  is  not  the  case  with  diamond, 
as  it  is  very  brittle,  and  splits  readily  when  struck  with  a 
slight  blow  in  the  direction  of  the  plane  of  cleavage. 

Pliny  observes  further  on  :  "  When  by  good  fortune  this 
stone  does  happen  to  be  broken,  it  divides  into  fragments 
so  minute  as  to  be  almost  imperceptible.  These  particles 
are  held  in  great  request  by  engravers,  who  enclose  them 
in  iron,  and  are  enabled  thereby,  with  the  greatest  facility, 
to  cut  the  very  hardest  substances  known."  Fragments  of 
corundum,  from  time  immemorial,  have  been  used  by  Indian 
lapidaries  for  cutting  and  polishing  the  hardest  gems.  When 
first  introduced,  Mr.  King  tells  us,  into  the  European  atelier, 
some  ninety  years  ago,  it  was  known  by  the  name  of 
adamantine  spar. 

"  Some  mineralogists,"  Mr.  King  writes,1 "  have  advanced 
1  "  Precious  Stones,"  p.  42. 


60  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


the  paradox  that  the  adamas  of  the  Romans  was  not  the 
diamond,  but  the  sapphire.  A  sufficient  answer  to  this  is, 
that  such  large  sapphires  as  the  ancients  frequently  en- 
graved (the  signet  of  Constantius,  for  instance,  weighing  53 
carats)  could  not  be  termed  punctum  lapidis.  And  besides 
this  the  latter  stone  could  not  have  been  engraved  by  means 
of  its  own  fragments.  The  sapphire,  too,  usually  occurs  in 
masses  of  considerable  relative  size,  especially  the  grey  sort, 
supposed,  according  to  this  theory,  to  represent  the  adamas, 
and  these  are  found  rounded  and  pebble-shaped  ;  of  a  form, 
in  short,  to  be  described  by  anything  better  than  the  term 
punctum" 

Mr.  King  must  be  well  aware  that  the  signet  of  Constan- 
tius, and  all  other  engraved  sapphires,  belong  to  a  late  date 
of  the  Empire,2  and  consequently  after  the  time  of  Pliny, 
when,  perhaps  the  true  diamond  was  known.  In  Pliny's 
time  the  diamond  was  evidently  unknown.  The  punctum 
lapidis,  or  sharp  fragment  of  corundum,  would  have  been 
enough  for  the  purpose  of  engraving  the  stones  then  in  use, 
such  as  onyx,  sard,  and  other  chalcedonic  stones.  Besides 
small  crystals  of  corundum  are  frequently  found,  with  sharp 
points,  to  which  the  term  punctum  lapidis  may  be  well 
applied.3  This  Mr.  King  admits  further  on.  "  Before  the 
introduction  of  the  true  diamond  into  Greece,  sharp  frag- 
ments of  corundum,  obtained  from  Naxos,  served  the  same 
purpose :  the  name  adamas  was  then,  doubtless,  confined  to 
the  blue  and  grey  sapphires  found  in  Cyprus,  or  to  the 
opaquer  crystals  of  corundum  discovered  in  the  emery 
mines.  Such  a  stone,  reduced  to  sharp  fragments,  would 
serve  to  cut  into  and  excise  the  quartz  gems,  sards,  agates, 

2  The  engraved  rubies  also  mentioned  by  Mr.  King  all  date  from  a 
very  late  period  of  the  Empire. 

3  A  small  crystal  of  corundum  from  Ceylon  in  the  possession  of 
the  author  readily  scratches  onyx. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  61 


jaspers,  then  in  request  as  signets,  with  almost  as  much 
facility  as  the  diamond  itself."  He  also  allows  further  on  in 
a  note,  page  108,  that  the  ancient  crusta  adamantis  was  a 
splinter  of  corundum,  which  is  most  probable. 

Further,  Mr.  Maskelyne  suggests  that  the  Greek  term 
adamas  was  originally  derived  from  the  Semitic  name  for 
a  material  (probably  corundum,  or  massive  sapphire),  which 
Phoenician  commerce  brought  from  India.4 

Pliny  mentions  other  varieties  of  adamas,  which  were 
undoubtedly  all  white  sapphires — the  Arabian,  those  found 
in  the  mines  of  Ethiopia,  between  the  temple  of  Mercury 
and  the  Island  of  Meroe,  the  Cenchrea,  the  Macedonian, 
the  Cyprian.  The  diamond  has  never  been  found  in  Arabia. 
The  Ethiopia  mentioned  by  Pliny  is  in  reality  India,  and 
Agassiz  is  of  opinion  that  the  "Temple  of  Mercury"  means 
Brahmaloka,  or  Temple  of  Brahma.  Crystals  of  corundum 
are  still  found  in  granite  rocks  on  the  coast  of  Malabar,  in 
the  Carnatic,  and  in  Ceylon.  The  Cenchrea,  which  Pliny 
describes  as  about  as  large  as  a  grain  of  millet  in  size,  was 
doubtless  a  name  applied  to  the  small  rolled  pebbles  of 
sapphire  found  in  beds  of  streams.  The  Cyprian  adamas, 
so  called  from  its  being  found  in  the  Island  of  Cyprus,  and 
to  which  aerius  colour  was  applied,  shows  it  to  be  a  sky- 
blue  sapphire. 

Next  in  succession  he  mentions  siderites,  "a  stone  which 
shines  like  iron,  and  is  more  ponderous  than  any  of  the  others, 
but  differs  in  its  properties  from  them  all."  Mr.  Maskelyne 
identifies  this  stone  with  magnetite,  the  heaviest  and  hardest 
ore  of  that  steel  to  which,  doubtless,  the  title  of  adamas  was 
originally  vaguely  applied. 

The  adamas  of  Theophrastus  was  in  all  likelihood  the 
emery  stone,  an  amorphous  form  of  corundum. 

4  Edinburgh  Rev.,  July,  1866,  p.  237. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


In  the  Periplus  of  the  Red  Sea  we  read,  "  to  Barace 
(Barcellore)  are  brought  various  and  numerous  kinds  of 
lustrous  gems,  the  Adamas  and  the  Hyacinthus."  The  first 
here  is  doubtless  the  corundum,  or  white  sapphire,  and  the 
second  the  blue  sapphire. 

Rings  exist  of  Roman  workmanship  in  which  the  diamond 
is  set  in  its  original  octahedral  form,  unpolished,  save  with 
its  natural  somewhat  resinous  lustre,  but  evidently  of  a 
much  later  date  than  Pliny's  time.  The  Hertz  collection 
possessed  a  well-formed  octahedral  diamond,  about  a  carat 
in  weight,  set  open  in  a  Roman  ring.  The  Waterton  Dacty- 
liotheca  furnishes  a  fine  example  of  a  diamond  in  its  original 
setting,  apparently  dating  from  the  Lower  Empire.  All 
these  examples,  however,  date  from  a  period  long  after 
Pliny's  time. 


CAKBUNCULUS  INBICUS.  {  The  M^~Tbe  Ruby. 

I  The  Female—  The  Spinel. 

In  the  first  rank  among  flame-coloured  stones  Pliny 
places  the  carbunculus,  so  called  from  its  resemblance  to  a 
red-hot  coal.  There  are,  he  says,  various  kinds  of  car- 
buncles; of  these,  the  most  remarkable  are  the  Indian  and 
the  Garamantic,  each  kind  being  subdivided  into  male  and 
female,  the  former  of  which  is  of  a  more  striking  brilliancy, 
the  brightness  of  the  latter  being  not  so  strong. 

The  male  variety  of  the  Carbunculus  Indicus  we  would 
identify  with  the  ruby  or  red  sapphire,  which  is  remarkable 
for  its  bright  colour  and  rich  tints,  and  the  female  with  the 
spinel  ruby,  a  darker  stone  with  less  brilliancy. 

The  carbunculus  garamanticus  was  doubtless  the  garnet. 

From  their  not  being  affected  by  the  fire,  they  were 
termed  by  the  ancients,  "  acaustoi,"  a  quality  which  applies 
exclusively  to  the  ruby,  as  it  is  infusible. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


Lessing  and  the  Count  de  Clarac  deny  the  existence  of 
any  really  antique  intaglio  in  this  gem.  Mr.  King,  however, 
enumerates  a  few  works  in  ruby,  of  apparently  indubitable 
antiquity.  First,  on  account  of  the  quality,  a  large  oval, 
slightly  convex  stone  of  the  true  "  pigeon  blood  tint,"  and 
weighing  apparently  about  three  carats  in  the  Devonshire 
parure,  engraved  with  a  Venus  Victrix — a  but  poor  intaglio 
in  the  latest  Roman  manner.  A  full-length  figure  of  Osiris, 
in  half-relief,  which  seems  a  production  of  the  Egyptian 
revival  under  Hadrian. 

In  spinel  he  cites  a  most  splendid  Gorgon's  head  (Praun), 
and  a  head  of  Pertmax,  in  his  possession. 

Nevertheless,  Mr.  King  remarks,  engravings  in  any  of 
the  Precious  Stones  are  always  to  be  received  with  the 
greatest  suspicion. 

True  rubies,  and  of  good  colour,  uncut,  but  with  their 
natural  surface  rudely  polished,  occur,  both  inserted  into 
pieces  of  antique  jewellery,  and  set  in  rings  dating  from  the 
earliest  times. 

HYACINTHUS. — SAPPHIRE. 

The  hyacinthus  of  the  ancients  is  generally  supposed  to 
be  the  sapphire  of  the  modern.  Solinus  thus  describes  it. 
"  Amongst  these  things  (in  Ethiopia),  of  which  we  have 
treated,  is  found  also  the  hyacinthus  of  a  shining  cerulean 
colour;  a  stone  of  price  if  it  be  found  without  blemish,  for 
it  is  extremely  liable  to  defects.  The  best  colour  of  the 
stone  is  an  equable  one,  neither  dulled  by  too  deep  a  dye, 
nor  too  clear  with  over  much  transparency."  A  better 
description  could  not  be  given  of  the  sapphire. 

The  description  of  the  hyacinthus,  by  Pliny,  would  lead 
us  to  identify  the  stone  mentioned  by  him,  with  the  Oriental 
amethyst  or  violet  sapphire.  He  thus  describes  it: — "  Very 


64  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


different  from  this  stone  (the  amethyst)  is  hyacinthus, 
though  partaking  of  a  colour  that  closely  borders  upon  it. 
The  great  difference  between  them  is,  that  the  brilliant 
violet,  which  is  so  refulgent  in  the  amethystus,  is  diluted  in 
the  other  stone." 

On  account  of  its  extreme  hardness,  the  ancients  for  the 
most  part  employed  the  sapphire  as  a  mere  ornamental  stone 
for  setting  in  their  jewellery,  unengraved  and  unshaped, 
contenting  themselves  with  giving  a  tolerable  polish  to  the 
native  irregular  surface  of  the  pebble. 

Most  of  the  known  antique  intagli  in  sapphire  are  of  a 
late  Roman  period. 

In  the  Marlborough  Collection  are  two  most  valuable  as 
well  as  genuine  examples  of  the  sapphire,  bearing  antique 
intagli;  one  is  a  head  of  Caracalla.  The  intaglio  is  some- 
what shallow,  and  is  polished  within  to  a  singular  degree  of 
lustre.  The  stone  is  of  a  deep  violet  colour,  and  f  inch 
high  by  -|  wide.  The  other  is  a  Medusa's  head,  in  front 
face,  the  treatment  of  the  features,  and  the  curling  snaky 
tresses  spirited  to  a  degree,  and  every  part  most  highly 
finished.  This  sapphire  is  of  a  fine  sky-blue  shade.  But 
the  most  famous  of  all  is  the  signet  of  Constantius  II.  (now 
in  the  Rinuccini  Collection),  on  a  perfect  stone,  weighing 
53  carats. 

Some  good  intagli  on  sapphire  are  in  Mr.  Maskelyne's 
Collection. 

According  to  ancient  writers,  the  word  hyacinthus  is 
derived  from  the  name  of  a  flower  of  a  similar  colour  to  this 
stone,  but  the  received  opinion  at  the  present  day  is,  that  it 
is  derived  from  the  Persian  jacut,  ruby. 

The  iolite  may  have  been  classed  by  the  ancients  under 
the  name  of  hyacinthus,  as  they  were,  perhaps,  unable  to 
distinguish  between  it  and  the  sapphire.  In  Mr.  Maske- 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  65 


lyne's  collection  is  a  fine  example  of  an  iolite  bearing  the 
head  of  Berenice  II.  It  was  considered  by  its  former  owner 
to  be  a  sapphire,  and  perhaps  in  ancient  times  also. 

CHRTSOLITHUS. — YELLOW  SAPPHIRE. 

"  Ethiopia,"  Pliny  says,  "  which  produces  hyacinthus  (sap- 
phire) produces  chrysolithus  also,  a  transparent  stone  with  a 
refulgence  like  that  of  gold.  The  stones  of  India  are  the  most 
highly  esteemed."  This  stone  is  generally  supposed  to  be 
the  Oriental  topaz  or  yellow  sapphire,  but  as  it  is  very  rarely 
of  a  golden  yellow,  and  usually  of  a  pale  straw  colour,  it 
may  be  the  chrysoberyl,  or  Oriental  chrysolite,  a  stone  which 
is  said  to  almost  vie  with  the  yellow  diamond  in  lustre, 
polish,  and  colour. 

The  yellow  jargoon,  which  is  of  a  rich  golden  colour, 
may  also  put  in  a  claim  to  be  identified  with  the  chryso- 
lithus. 

No  genuine  ancient  intagli  in  any  of  these  stones  have 
been  met  with. 

The  only  yellow  stones,  we  believe,  that  have  come  down 
to  us  from  antiquity  are  the  pale  citrine  and  yellow  quartz. 

The  chrysolithus  of  twelve  pounds  mentioned  by  Pliny 
was  doubtless  yellow  quartz. 

ASTRION. — STAR  SAPPHIRE. 

The  astrion,  according  to  Pliny,  is  a  stone  resembling 
crystal  in  its  nature,  and  is  found  in  India.  In  the  centre 
of  it  there  shines  a  brilliant  star,  with  the  refulgence  like 
that  of  the  moon  when  full.  "  Some  will  have  it,"  he  says, 
"  that  this  stone  receives  its  name  from  the  fact  that  when 
held  opposite  to  the  stars  it  absorbs  the  light  they  emit  and 
returns  it."  No  description  can  better  suit  the  asteriated 

F 


66  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


crystals  of  sapphire,  which  exhibit  a  brilliant  six-sided  star 
in  its  centre. 

Pliny  further  on  writes:  "Among  the  white  stones  there 
is  one  known  as  '  ceraunia,'  which  absorbs  the  brilliancy  of 
the  stars.  It  is  of  a  crystalline  formation,  of  a  lustrous 
azure  colour,  and  is  a  native  of  Carmania.  Zenothemis 
admits  that  it  is  white,  but  asserts  that  it  has  the  figure  of 
a  blazing  star  within."  This  is  evidently  the  same  stone, 
which  frequently  occurs  of  so  pale  a  blue  as  to  be  almost 
white. 

LYCHNIS. — BALAS  RUBY. 

Pliny  mentions  among  the  flame- coloured  stones  the 
lychnis,  so  called  from  its  lustre  being  heightened  by  the 
light  of  the  lamp,  under  which  circumstances  its  tints  are 
particularly  pleasing.  It  is  found  in  the  same  place  where 
garnets  occur,  in  the  vicinity  of  Orthosia,  throughout  the 
whole  of  Caria,  but  the  most  approved  stones  are  those  of 
India,  which  last  some  have  termed  a  carbunculus  of  milder 
tint.  He  then  adds,  "  Between  these  last  I  find  a  difference 
noticed,  one  kind  having  a  purple  lustre,  the  other  a  red 
(cocco,  kermes)."  We  may,  we  think,  be  justified  in 
identifying  the  first  with  the  almandine  ruby,  or  violet-tinted 
spinel,  and  the  latter  with  the  balas,  or  rose-red  variety  of 
spinel. 

Mr.  King  mentions  in  balas  the  head  of  a  Bacchante, 
crowned  with  ivy,  a  masterpiece  belonging  to  the  best  days 
of  Roman  glyptic  art.  The  name  EAAHN  appears  in  micro- 
scopic letters  at  the  side. 

ASTERIA. — CYMOPHANE. 

"  Next  among  the  white  stones,"  Pliny  says,  "  is  asteria,  a 
gem  which  holds  its  high  rank  on  account  of  a  certain  pecu- 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  67 


liarity  in  its  nature,  it  having  a  light  enclosed  within,  in  the 
pupil  of  an  eye  as  it  were.  This  light,  which  has  all  the 
appearance  of  moving  within  the  stone,  it  transmits  accord- 
ing to  the  angle  of  inclination  at  which  it  is  held,  now  in 
one  direction,  and  now  in  another.  When  held  facing  the 
sun  it  emits  white  rays  like  those  of  a  star,  and  to  this,  in 
fact,  it  owes  its  name."  This  is  undoubtedly  the  cymophane, 
or  chrysoberyl  cat's-eye,  which  exhibits  as  it  were  the  pupil 
of  an  eye  moving  about  within  the  stone,  and  when  held 
facing  the  sun  shows  a  pale  opalescent  ray  on  its  surface. 

SMARAGDUS. — EMERALD. 

According  to  Pliny,  the  third  rank  in  esteem  (adamas 
being  in  the  first,  and  pearls  in  the  second)  was  given  to  the 
smaragdus. 

"  There  is  no  stone,"  he  says,  "  the  colour  of  which  is 
more  delightful  to  the  eye,  for  whereas  the  sight  fixes  itself 
with  avidity  upon  the  green  grass  and  the  foliage  of  trees, 
we  have  all  the  more  pleasure  in  looking  upon  the  smarag- 
dus, there  being  no  green  in  existence  of  a  more  intense 
colour  than  this. 

"  Of  this  stone,"  he  continues,  "  there  are  no  less  than 
twelve  different  kinds  :  of  the  finest  is  the  Scythian  smarag- 
dus, so  called  from  the  country  where  it  is  found.  None 
of  them  has  a  deeper  colour  than  this,  or  is  more  free  from 
defects ;  indeed,  in  the  same  degree  that  the  smaragdus  is 
inferior  to  other  precious  stones,  the  Scythian  smaragdus  is 
superior  to  the  other  varieties.  Next  in  esteem  to  this,  as 
also  in  locality,  is  the  smaragdus  of  Bactria.  The  third 
rank  is  held  by  the  stones  of  Egypt,  which  are  extracted 
from  the  hills  in  the  vicinity  of  Coptos,  a  city  of  Thebais." 

"  All  the   other  kinds  are  found  in   copper-mines,    and 
F  2 


68  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


hence  it  is  that,  of  these  varieties,  the  smaragdus  of  Cyprus 
holds  the  highest  rank."  He  characterizes  the  smaragdus 
of  the  copper-mines  of  Chalcedon  as  brittle,  and  of  a  colour 
far  from  distinctly  pronounced,  resembling  in  their  tints  the 
feathers  that  are  seen  in  the  tail  of  the  peacock,  or  on  the 
neck  of  pigeons.  He  also  notices  the  smaragdi  of  Attica 
and  of  Media,  and  other  inferior  varieties. 

In  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Maskelyne,  the  first  three,  the  Scythian, 
Bactrian,  and  Egyptian,  were  the  true  emerald;  the  Scythian 
coming  no  doubt  from  the  Siberian  locality  near  Bissersk, 
to  the  east  of  Ekatharinenberg ;  the  so-called  Bactrian  most 
likely  came  from  a  locality  unknown  to  us,  to  the  north  or 
north-east  of  the  Hindoo-Coosh,  possibly  from  the  Altai, 
where,  in  the  Tigeretz  mountains,  beryls  are  now  obtained. 
The  discovery  of  the  emerald-mines  at  Mount  Zabara,  in 
Egypt,  near  the  Red  Sea,  by  Sir  Gardner  Wilkinson,  with 
the  houses  almost  intact  in  which  the  workmen  formerly 
lived,  establishes  Pliny's  Egyptian  locality  for  the  emerald. 

Mr.  King  would  identify  the  Scythian  smaragdus,  from  its 
darkness  and  freedom  from  defects,  with  the  green  sapphire, 
or  Oriental  emerald.  There  may  be  grounds  for  this  view, 
as  the  emerald  from  Siberia,  with  which  Mr.  Maskelyne 
connects  it,  is  of  a  pale  colour,  very  soft,  brittle,  and  full  of 
flaws.  Others  connect  it  with  dioptase,  a  green  silicate  of 
copper,  found  in  copper-mines  in  Siberia. 

According  to  Mr.  King,  the  smaragdi  from  Cyprus  and 
Chalcedon  were  only  crystals  of  transparent  chrysocolla 
(a  silicate  of  copper)  still  called  the  copper  emerald.  The 
chalco-smaragdus,  from  Cyprus,  mentioned  by  Pliny,  was 
doubtless  the  same  stone.  The  inferior  varieties  of  emerald 
mentioned  by  Pliny  are  regarded  as  plasmas,  and  jaspers  of 
different  shades  of  green. 

The   largo   smaragdi  mentioned   by  Theophrastus  were 


ANTIQUE  GEMS,  69 


most  probably  pieces  of  green  jasper,  while  the  colossal 
statue  of  Serapis,  mentioned  by  Apiou,  was  in  some  vitreous 
composition  for  which  Alexandria  was  famous. 

The  musician  Ismenias,  in  the  reign  of  Alexander,  having 
heard  of  a  smaragdus  engraved  with  an  Amymone,  on  sale 
in  Cyprus,  at  the  price  of  six  gold  pieces,  sent  his  agent  for 
it,  who  by  bargaining  procured  it  for  four  pieces,  at  which 
Ismenias  took  offence,  as  he  considered  the  value  of  the  stone 
was  lowered  thereby.  "  But,"  Mr.  King  observes,  "  the 
locality,  the  age,  and  the  comparative  trifling  cost  of  the 
stone,  all  go  to  prove  that  nothing  more  than  a  plasma  is 
here  understood  by  the  term  smaragdus." 

Among  the  famous  emeralds  mentioned  in  ancient  writers 
was  the  signet  of  Polycrates,  an  emerald  with  a  lyre 
engraved  on  it  by  Theodorus  of  Samos. 

True  emeralds,  Mr.  King  writes,  with  really  antique 
intagli  upon  them,  are  amongst  the  rarest  of  the  rare,  and 
appear  scarcely  one  of  them  referable  to  an  earlier  date  than 
the  age  of  Hadrian. 

Mr.  King  enumerates  a  few  examples  of  antique  intagli 
in  emerald,  one  of  the  Emperor  Hadrian's  head,  another  of 
his  consort  Sabina,  and  a  third  the  heads  of  both  facing  each 
other.  The  Devonshire  parure  also  exhibits  (Bandeau, 
No.  1 1 )  a  large  and  beautiful  emerald  cut  into  a  Gorgon's 
head  in  high  relief,  which  has  every  mark  of  being  an 
antique  work  of  the  same  period. 

An  intaglio  head  of  the  Solar  Lion,  the  Alexandrian 
Cneph,  in  a  stone  of  the  finest  colour,  purity,  and  lustre,  was 
in  the  late  Fould  collection.  A  bearded  head  of  Jupiter,  in 
an  emerald  1J  by  f,  is  in  the  Due  de  Luyne's  collection, 
Paris. 

In  the  possession  of  the  author  is  a  small  emerald,  with 
a  lotus  flower  engraved  on  it.  It  is  considered  to  be  a 


70  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


specimen  of  an  emerald  from  the  Egyptian  mines,  and  perhaps 
the  sole  genuine  example  of  an  antique  engraved  emerald. 

Pliny  remarks  when  the  surface  of  the  smaragdus  is  flat, 
it  reflects  the  image  of  ohjects  in  the  same  manner  as  a 
mirror  ;  and  adds  that  the  Emperor  Nero  used  to  view  the 
combats  of  the  gladiators  upon  a  smaragdus.  By  holding  the 
flat  surface  of  the  emerald  in  possession  of  the  author,  close 
to  the  eye,  distant  objects  can  be  distinctly  seen  reflected  in 
it.  It  thus  confirms  Pliny's  statement,  as  the  distinct 
reflection  of  distant  objects  on  the  slightly  convex  surface 
of  the  emerald  must  have  been  of  great  importance  to  a 
near-sighted  person,  as  Nero  was. 

The  name  smaragdus  is  said  to  be  the  Greek  form  of  the 
Persian  samarrud  or  zmeroud. 

BERYLLUS. — THE  BERYL. 

"  Beryls,"  Pliny  writes,  "  it  is  thought  are  of  the  same 
nature  as  the  smaragdus.  India  produces  them,  and  they  are 
rarely  to  be  found  elsewhere.  The  most  esteemed  beryls 
are  those  which  in  colour  resemble  the  pure  green  of  the 
sea,  the  chrysoberyl  being  next  in  value,  a  stone  of  a  some- 
what paler  colour,  but  approaching  a  golden  tint."  Pliny 
has  here  anticipated  the  modern  discovery  that  beryls  are 
of  the  same  chemical  composition  as  the  emerald.  Those 
which  resemble  the  green  of  the  sea  are  the  modern  aqua- 
marine, and  the  chrysoberyl  is  evidently  the  yellow  beryl, 
which  is  of  a  golden  tint.  The  Indian  locality  of  the  beryl 
is  Canjargum  in  the  Deccan. 

The  beryl  was  seldom  engraved  on,  and  consequently 
genuine  antique  intagli  are  rarely  to  be  met  with.  We  may 
quote  a  few  of  the  finest  examples.  The  earliest  is  the 
Taras  on  the  dolphin  (formerly  in  the  Praun  collection,  now 


ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


71 


in  Mr.  Maskelyne's),  the  design  of  which  is  placed  by 
Winkelman  in  the  first  class  of  Etruscan  work.  Amongst 
the  best  specimens  of  Roman  date  are  the  young  Hercules, 


Taras. 


Julia,  daughter  of  Titus. 


Hercules  of  Gnaios. 


inscribed  TNAIO3,  in  the  Blacas  collection,  and  the  aqua- 
marine of  the  extraordinary  magnitude  of  2-J-  X  2J  inches, 
engraved  with  the  bust  of  Julia,  the  daughter  of  Titus, 
and  signed  by  the  artist  €YOAOC€flOIEI.  It  is  in 
the  collection  of  the  Imperial  Library  at  Paris. 


CARBUNCULTJS  GARAMANTICUS. — THE  GARNET. 

The  term  carbunculus,  being  indiscriminately  applied  by 
the  ancients  to  all  red  and  fiery  stones,  comprises  the  several 
varieties  of  the  garnet.  The  Greek  synonymous  word,  as 
given  by  Theophrastus,  is  avOpa£,  a  name  signifying  a  live 
coal.  He  describes  it  as  blood-red  in  colour  (epv#/oos),  but 
if  held  up  against  the  sun  assuming  the  appearance  of  a 
burning  piece  of  charcoal. 

The  carbunculus  garamanticus  of  Pliny  is,  doubtless,  the 


72  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


garnet.  He  divides  it  into  male  and  female  kinds,  the  first 
being  the  more  brilliant,  and  finer  in  colour,  and  the  latter 
being  the  duller  varieties. 

The  garamantic,  he  tells  us,  has  been  also  called  the 
carchedonian,  in  compliment  to  the  former  opulence  of  Car- 
thage (Kapx^Swv). 

The  male  and  female  kinds  of  the  carbunculus  garaman- 
ticus,  in  every  probability,  comprised  all  the  varieties  of  the 
garnet,  and  the  different  colours,  ranging  from  a*  brilliant 
red  to  the  deeper  and  duller  tints. 

Pliny  notes  also  the  ^Ethiopian  and  the  Alabandic  stones, 
the  latter  of  which  are  found  at  Orthosia,  in  Caria,  but  are 
cut  and  polished  at  Alabanda. 

"The  most  highly-esteemed,  however,"  Pliny  says,  "is  the 
amethyst-coloured  stone,  the  fire  at  the  extremity  of  which 
closely  approached  the  violet  tint  of  the  amethyst."  This, 
undoubtedly,  is  the  modern  almandine  garnet  of  a  beautiful 
violet  purple  colour.  The  term  almandine  is  said  to  be 
derived  from  Alabanda,  where  it  was  cut  and  polished  in 
ancient  times. 

Next  in  value  he  notes  "  the  syrtites,"  radiant  with  a 
wavy,  feathery  refulgence  (pinnato  fulgore,)  an  appearance 
which  is  sometimes  to  be  seen  in  the  interior  of  some  red 
garnets. 

The  carchedonia,  described  by  Pliny  as  of  inferior  value, 
and  found  in  the  mountains  among  the  Nasamones,  and  of 
which  Carthage  was  in  former  times  the  entrepot,  was, 
doubtless,  a  commoner  variety  of  garnet.  He  says  he  finds 
it  stated  that  in  former  times  drinking-vessels  used  to  be 
made  of  this  stone,  and  adds,  this  kind  offers  the  most 
obstinate  resistance  to  the  graver,  and,  if  used  for  seals,  is 
apt  to  bring  away  a  part  of  the  wax. 

Pliny   observes   that  the  carbuncles   of  India  admit  of 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  73 


being  hollowed,  and  making  vessels  that  will  hold  as  much 
as  one  sextarius  even. 

In  "Jamieson's  Mineralogy,"  vol.  i.  p.  152,  is  the  fol- 
lowing passage,  which  confirms  this: — "  Crystals  (of  garnets) 
sometimes  occur  the  size  of  a  fist.  These  are  cut  into 
small  vases,  which  are  very  highly  valued,  particularly  if 
they  are  free  from  flaws,  and  possess  a  good  colour,  and 
considerable  degree  of  transparency." 

Mr.  King  tells  us  he  has  seen  an  antique  cup,  hollowed 
out  of  a  single  garnet,  as  large  as  a  half  goose-egg,  which 
was  engraved  internally  with  the  name  of  its  ancient  owner, 
Codrus.  The  inventory  of  the  French  crown  jewels,  drawn 
up  in  1791,  mentions  "an  oval  cup  of  a  single  garnet,  rich 
in  colour,  3  x  2J  inches  wide,  and  3  high,  valued  at  12,000 
francs  (480Z.)" 

Pliny  also  says  that  "  in  some  of  the  male  carchedonian 
stones,  there  are  luminous  points  like  stars  within;"  these 
are.  in  all  probability,  the  star  garnet. 

Garnets,  Mr.  King  says,  seem  to  have  been  little  employed 
by  the  Greeks  for  engraving  upon,  but  were  largely  in 
favour  with  the  Romans  of  the  empire,  though  not  at  a 
very  early  date.  There  are  some  rare  instances  of  the  alman- 
dine  garnet  being  used  by  Greek  artists,  but  from  its  great 
hardness  the  work  on  it  is  generally  but  rudely  finished. 
Fine  Roman  intagli  frequently,  and  sometimes  imperial  por- 
traits, occur  in  the  almandine,  but  no  certain  Greek,  or  early 
Grasco-Roman,  work  is  recorded  in  the  blood-red  garnet. 
At  a  late  period  the  portraits  of  Sassanian  kings  frequently 
appear  in  the  almandine.  Some  intagli  are  also  met  with 
in  the  guarnaccino  or  brown-red  garnet. 

The  "Head  of  the  dog  Sirius,"  in  the  Marlborough 
Collection,  is  engraved  on  a  perfect  Indian  garnet  of 
unusual  size  and  beauty.  On  the  collar  of  the  dog  is 


74  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


engraved  FAIOSEIIOIEI.  It  is,  however,  of  doubtful 
antiquity. 

Many  fine  engravings,  and  also  camei,  occur  in  the 
essonite,  and  the  hyacinthine  garnet.  The  chryselectrum, 
which  Pliny  describes  of  the  colour  which  inclines  to  amber, 
was  probably  the  essonite,  while  the  deep,  rich-coloured 
stone — the  hyacinthine  garnet — was  doubtless  the  morio  of 
Pliny.  The  morio,  he  remarks,  when  of  the  colour  of  the 
carbunculus,  is  from  Alexandria;  when  it  shares  that  of 
the  sard,  is  from  the  Cyprus.  They  are  both,  he  adds,  well 
adapted  for  carving  in  relief.  We  have  some  splendid 
examples  among  the  finest  gems  of  Graeco-Roman  artists  in 
essonite  and  hyacinthine  garnet.  Among  the  most  well- 
known  in  the  hyacinthine  garnet  are  the  Julius  Cassar 
of  Dioscorides,  the  Apollo  Citharoedus,  deeply  cut,  in  a 
beautiful  example  of  this  stone:  both  are  in  the  Blacas  col- 
lection. In  the  Florentine  collection  is  a  fine  head  on  a 
hyacinthine  garnet  cut  en  cabochon,  representing  the  portrait 
of  Philetaerus,  King  of  Pergamus.  The  MaBcenas  of  Apol- 
lonius,  formerly  in  the  Hertz  collection,  is  in  the  same  stone. 
A  fine  example  is  in  the  author's  collection,  carrying  Lao- 
dicsea,  as  a  female  figure  with  her  hand  on  the  round  pharos 
of  the  harbour  of  that  town. 

These  latter  stones  have  been  frequently  confounded  by 
some  writers  and  collectors  with  the  hyacinth  or  jacinth 
(red  zircon),  and  much  confusion  has  arisen  from  this  mis- 
take. In  some  public  collections  also,  antique  camei  and 
intagli  in  the  hyacinthine  garnet  are  ticketed  as  jacinths. 

TOPAZIOS. — CHRYSOLITE. 

Topazios,  according  to  Pliny,  is  a  stone  that  is  held  in 
very  high  estimation  for  its  green  tint.  The  name  is  said 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  75 


to  be  derived  from  Topazos,  an  island  in  the  Red  Sea, 
whence  the  ancients  procured  these  stones.  The  stone  is 
considered  to  be  indubitably  our  chrysolite — a  greenish- 
yellow  stone. 

The  most  recent  writers,  according  to  Pliny,  say  that  this 
stone  is  found  also  in  the  vicinity  of  Alabastron,  a  city  of 
Thebais,  and  they  distinguish  two  varieties  of  it — the  chry- 
sopteron  (the  chrysolite)  and  the  prasoides  (the  peridot). 

He  adds  further,  "  The  topazios  is  the  largest  of  all  pre- 
cious stones,  and  is  the  only  one  among  those  of  high  value 
that  yields  to  the  action  of  the  file,  the  rest  being  polished 
by  the  aid  of  the  stone  of  Naxos  (emery).  It  admits,  too, 
of  being  worn  by  use."  The  chrysolite  is  in  reality  of  a 
very  soft  nature,  and  wears  at  the  edges.  Crystals  of  it 
sometimes  occur  of  considerable  size. 

The  modern  topaz  was  totally  unknown  to  the  ancients. 

TOPAZIOS  PRASOIDES. — THE  PERIDOT. 

This  stone,  which  Pliny  describes  as  aiming  at  the  exact 
imitation  of  the  colour  of  the  leek-leaf,  is  our  peridot,  of  a 
yellowish  green. 

Some  fine  Greek  intagli,  Mr.  King  says,  occur  in 
peridot,  to  be  ascribed  from  their  style  to  the  date  of  its 
first  introduction  at  the  Alexandrian  Court,  but  they  are  of 
the  highest  rarity.  The  Romans  appear  never  to  have 
used  the  topazios  prasoides  for  engraving  on,  deterred  either 
by  its  softness,  entailing  the  speedy  destruction  of  the 
intaglio,  or  else  by  its  high  value  as  a  precious  stone. 
Modern  works  on  it,  on  the  contrary,  are  abundant  enough, 
and  to  this  class  will  the  majority  of  supposed  antiques  in 
peridot,  when  critically  examined,  be  found  to  belong. 

A  fine  example   of  an  intaglio  in  peridot,  engraved  by 


76  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


Calandrelli,   whose   name  is  in   Greek    characters    on  the 
stone,  may  be  seen  in  the  Townshend  collection,  S.K.M. 

CHRYSOPRASIUS. — GREEN  JARGOON. 

Pliny  mentions  a  stone  of  the  name  of  chrysoprasius, 
closely  allied  to  the  chrysoberyl  in  its  brilliancy,  but  of  a 
more  pallid  colour,  and  thought  by  some  to  constitute  a 
separate  genus ;  he  again  describes  it  further  on  as  similar 
in  its  green  colour  to  the  chrysopteron. 

This  stone  may,  perhaps,  be  the  green  jargoon,  which  is 
usually  of  a  pale  green  tint,  and  remarkable  for  its  brilliancy. 

MELICHRYSOS. — YELLOW  JARGOON. 

Melichrysos  is  described  by  Pliny  as  a  stone  which  has 
all  the  appearance  of  pure  honey  seen  through  transparent 
gold.  India  produces  these  stones.  This  stone  is  probably 
the  yellow  jargoon,  often  met  with  in  India.  It  is  generally 
of  a  golden,  honey-yellow  colour;  or  it  may  be  the  yellow 
tourmaline,  which  comes  from  Ceylon. 

LYNCURIUM. 

"  The  pertinacity,"  Pliny  writes,  "  that  has  been  dis- 
played by  certain  authors  compels  me  to  speak  of  lyncurium ; 
for  even  those  who  maintain  that  it  is  not  a  variety  of 
amber  still  assure  us  that  it  is  a  precious  stone.  They 
assert,  too,  that  it  is  the  product  of  the  urine  of  the  lynx 
and  of  a  kind  of  earth,  the  animal  covering  up  the  urine  the 
moment  it  has  voided  it,  from  a  jealousy  that  man  should 
gain  possession  of  it,  a  combination  which  hardens  into 
stone.  The  colour  of  it,  they  inform  us,  like  that  of  some 
kinds  of  amber,  is  of  a  fiery  hue,  and  it  admits,  they  say,  of 
being  engraved.  They  assert,  too,  that  this  substance 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  77 


attracts  to  itself  not  only  leaves  or  straws,  but  thin  plates  of 
copper  even  or  of  iron,  a  story  which  Theophrastus  even 
believes,  on  the  faith  of  a  certain  Droiles.  For  my  own 
part,  I  look  upon  the  whole  of  these  statements  as  untrue, 
and  I  do  not  believe  that  in  our  time  there  has  ever  been  a 
precious  stone  seen  with  such  a  name  as  this." 

I  may  here  adopt  Pliny's  words,  and  say  that  the  perti- 
nacity of  some  writers,  in  persisting  to  identify  lyncurium 
with  the  hyacinth,  or  jacinth,  has  compelled  me  to  notice  it 
here.  They  seem  to  keep  totally  out  of  view  Pliny's 
express  belief  that  in  his  time  there  was  no  stone  with  such 
a  name.  Theophrastus  certainly  mentions  lyncurium  as  a 
stone,  but  it  was  undoubtedly  amber,  for  Pliny  states  else- 
where that  lyncurium  was  a  name  given  to  amber  by 
Demostratus,  who  tells  the  same  absurd  myth  about  the 
origin  of  amber  as  Theophrastus  and  other  writers  have 
told  of  the  origin  of  lyncurium. 

This  misconception  with  regard  to  lyncurium  may  have 
arisen  from  Theophrastus  terming  amber  a  stone  (At'0os). 

The  true  hyacinth,  or  jacinth,  was  undoubtedly  unknown 
to  the  ancients,  as  no  antique  gems  of  that  stone  have 
hitherto  been  discovered ;  besides  the  hyacinth  is  generally 
found  of  too  small  a  size  for  the  purpose  of  an  engraved 
gem,  and  it  is  also  too  hard  to  engrave. 

The  so-called  hyacinths,  or  jacinths,  in  collections  of 
gems,  or  in  descriptive  catalogues  of  antique  intagli,  are  in 
reality  hyaciuthine  garnets. 

SAPPHIRUS. — LAPIS  LAZULI. 

Sapphirus,  Pliny  says,  is  refulgent  with  spots  like  gold. 
It  is  of  an  azure  colour,  though  sometimes,  but  rarely, 
purple;  the  best  kind  comes  from  Media.  Theophrastus 


78  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


describes  Sapphirus  as  spotted  with  gold-dust,  and  Isidorus 
says,  "  Sapphirus  cseruleus  est  cum  purpura,  habens  pulveres 
aureos  sparsos."  These  descriptions  answer  to  our  lapis 
lazuli,  through  which  are  frequently  disseminated  particles 
of  iron  pyrites,  bearing  a  great  resemblance  to  gold. 

The  principal  supply  of  lapis  lazuli  at  the  present  day 
is  from  Persia  and  Bokhara,  to  which,  doubtless,  the  Media 
of  Pliny  may  be  extended. 

Lapis  lazuli  abundantly  occurs  in  Egyptian  jewellery, 
worked  into  signet-tablets,  pendants,  and  charms.  It  was 
rarely  used  for  cylinders  by  the  Assyrians,  though  some 
fine  examples  do  exist.  Greek  work  on  this  stone  is 
extremely  uncommon,  but  intagli  and  camei  of  the  Roman 
times  are  frequent  in  this  material.  In  the  Blacas  col- 
lection is  a  head  of  Perseus,  king  of  Macedon,  in  lapis 
lazuli.  It  was  largely  employed  by  the  Persians  under  the 
Sassanian  dynasty  for  regal  portraits  and  seals. 

With  the  Italians  of  the  Cinque  Cento  it  was  an  especial 
favourite,  particularly  for  vases  and  for  miniature  busts  and 
small  relievi. 

SOLIS  GEMMA. — MOONSTONE. 

The  description  of  the  solis  gemma  given  by  Pliny  as 
"  white,  but  diffusing  brilliant  rays  in  a  circle,  after  the 
fashion  of  that  luminary,"  appears  to  suit  the  Adularian 
felspar,  known  as  the  moonstone,  from  the  silvery  radiancy 
of  the  large  orb  that  illumines  its  convex  surface. 

SELENITES. — ADULARIA. 

Pliny's  selenites  appears  to  be  a  variety  of  adularia 
"  white  and  transparent,  with  a  reflected  colour  like  that  of 
honey.  It  has  a  figure  within  it  like  that  of  the  moon,  and 
reflects  the  face  of  that  luminary,  if  what  we  are  told  is 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  79 


true,  according  to  its  phases."  It  may  be,  however,  our 
selenite,  a  crystallized  sulphate  of  lime,  the  thin  laminae  of 
which  reflect  the  disk  of  the  sun  or  moon. 

The  plates  of  this  substance  were  split,  and  employed  by 
the  ancients  for  the  lights  of  windows. 

SANDASTROS  (male). — SUNSTONE. 

According  to  Pliny,  there  were  two  stones  of  the  name 
of  sandastros,  the  one  male,  and  the  other  female  ;  the  first 
of  which  he  describes  as  "  having  all  the  appearance  of  fire, 
placed  behind  a  transparent  substance,  it'  burning  with  star- 
like  scintillations  within  that  resemble  drops  of  gold,  and 
are  always  to  be  seen  in  the  body  of  the  stone,  and  never 
upon  the  surface.  It  is  found  in  India."  We  can  have  no 
hesitation  in  connecting  this  stone  with  sunstone,  a  variety 
of  adularia  (ortholase  felspar)  of  a  pale  yellow  colour,  and 
which  appears  full  of  minute  golden  spangles,  owing  to  the 
presence  of  scales  of  oxide  of  iron  disseminated  through  it. 
Examples  of  it  come  from  Ceylon. 

CHRYSOPRASIUS. — AMAZON  STONE. 

Chrysoprasius  is  described  by  Pliny  "  as  similar  in  tint  to 
the  colouring  matter  of  the  leek,  but  varying  in  colour 
between  topazios  and  gold.  It  is  found  of  so  large  a  size  as 
to  admit  of  cups  even  being  made  of  it,  and  is  cut  into 
cylinders  very  frequently." 

This  stone  was  evidently  an  opaque  stone,  from  its  being 
associated  with  prasius,  and  is  not  to  be  confounded  with 
the  other  chrysoprasius,  mentioned  before,  and  which  was 
remarkable  for  its  brilliancy,  and  consequently  must  have 
been  a  transparent  stone. 

We  would  venture  to  identify  this  stone  with  Amazon 
stone,  which  is  brought  from  Lake  Baikal  in  Siberia,  and 


80  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


is  sometimes  found  in  pieces  sufficiently  large  to  be  made 
into  small  vases  and  other  ornaments; 5  and  lately  fragments 
of  a  pedestal  either  of  a  statue  or  a  column  sculptured  of 
this  stone  has  been  discovered  in  the  ruins  of  the  villa  of 
M.  Vopiscus  at  Tivoli. 

The  eumithres,  which  was  "  called  by  the  Assyrians  the 
gem  of  Belus,  and  which  was  of  a  leek-green  colour,  and 
greatly  in  request  for  superstitious  purposes,"  was  evidently 
the  same  stone.  It  was  frequently  used  by  the  Assyrians 
for  cylinders.  The  signet  of  Sennacherib  in  the  British 
Museum  is  of  this  stone. 

The  modern  chrysoprase,  a  green  chalcedony  coloured 
with  oxide  of  nickel,  was  not  known  to  the  ancients.  It  is 
only  found  in  Silesia. 

NILION. — JADE. 

India,  according  to  Pliny,  produces  nilion,  a  stone  which 
differs  from  chrysoprasius  in  its  dull,  diminished  lustre. 
"  According  to  Juba,"  Pliny  says,  "  Ethiopia  produces  it, 
upon  the  shores  of  the  river  known  to  us  as  the  Nilus  ;  to 
which  circumstance,  he  says,  it  owes  its  name."  According 
to  Sudines  it  is  to  be  found  also  in  the  Siberus,  a  river  of 
Attica. 

This  stone,  in  all  likelihood,  may  be  the  well-known  stone 
jade,  or  nephrite,  which  is  generally  of  a  dull  opaque  green. 
The  localities  'which  Pliny  mentions,  where  nilion  is  found, 
correspond  with  those  where  jade  occurs.  It  is  largely 
employed  in  India  for  ornamental  purposes.  It  is  also 
found  in  Egypt. 

Axes,  and  some  smaller  implements  of  jade  have  been 

5  According  to  Castellani  (Gems,  p.  29),  Caire  speaks  of  a  beau- 
tiful antique  vase,  made  of  Amazon  stone,  and  which  he  saw  in 
Florence. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  81 


discovered  by  Mr.  Finlay  in  Attica  ;  made,  doubtless,  from 
that  which  occurs  in  the  river  Siberus. 

Among  Roman  antiquaries  jade  is  termed  pietra  d'E^itto. 

TANOS. — JADEITE. 

Pliny  describes  a  stone  which  is  "included  among  the 
smaragdi,  and  known  as  *  tauos.'  It  comes  from  Persia, 
and  is  of  an  unsightly  green,  and  of  a  soiled  colour  within." 

Theophrastus  calls  this  stone  a  pseudo-smaragdus.  We 
would  connect  it  with  jadeite,  a  translucent  variety  of  zoizite, 
held  among  the  most  precious  substances  in  China  and 
throughout  the  East.  The  Chalchituitls  (jadeite)  found  in 
Mexico,  and  so  much  prized  by  the  Aztecs,  was  considered 
by  the  Spaniards  to  be  an  inferior  emerald  (baja  esmeraMa}. 

CALLAIS. — TURQUOISE. 

Callais,  Pliny  says,  "is  like  sapphirus  in  colour,  only 
that  it  is  paler  and  more  closely  resembling  the  tint  of  the 
water  near  the  seashore  in  appearance."  This  we  have 
every  reason  to  conclude  was  the  turquoise  of  the  present 
day. 

In  the  Marlborough  Collection  is  a  cameo  of  great  rarity ; 
a  small  portrait  of  a  Greek  prince  in  a  turquoise  beautifully 
azure. 

Antique  intagli  in  this  stone  are  said  not  to  exist,  except 
a  few  examples  in  the  Sassanian  class.  The  Renaissance 
artists  employed  it  largely  for  small  heads  en  ronde  bosse, 
and  also  for  camei.  All  the  small  works  in  turquoise, 
usually  regarded  as  antique,  may  be  considered  to  have 
their  origin  from  them. 

CALLAINA. — GREEN  TURQUOISE. 
According  to  Pliny,   the  stone  known  as  callaina  is  of 


82  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


a  pale  green  colour.  It  is  found  in  the  countries  that  lie 
to  the  north  of  India,  among  the  Phycari,  who  inhabit 
Mount  Caucasus,  the  Sacse  and  the  Dahae.  It  is  remark- 
able for  its  size,  but  is  covered  with  holes  and  full  of  extra- 
neous matter;  that,  however,  which  is  found  in  Carmania  is 
of  a  finer  quality,  and  far  superior.  It  is  only  amid  inac- 
cessible rocks  that  it  is  found,  protruding  from  the  surface, 
like  an  eye  in  appearance,  and  slightly  adhering  to  the  rock. 
The  best  of  these  stones  have  the  colour  of  smaragdus.  The 
finest  of  them  lose  their  colour  by  coming  in  contact  with 
oil,  unguents,  or  even  undiluted  wine  ;  whereas  those  of  a 
poorer  quality  preserve  their  colour  better. 

This  stone  has  by  most  writers  been  identified  with  the 
green  variety  of  turquoise,  on  which  the  Romans  set  the 
highest  value.  Turquoise  is  still  found  in  large  quantities 
in  a  mountainous  district  of  Persia,  not  far  from  Nishapur, 
in  Khorasan,  where  it  occurs  in  veins  which  traverse  the 
mountain  in  all  directions.  The  identity  of  callaina  with 
this  stone  is  further  confirmed  by  the  remark  of  Pliny  that 
it  loses  its  colour  by  coming  in  contact  with  oil  or  grease, 
for  turquoise  loses  its  colour  by  contact  with  oil  or  grease, 
or  when  kept  near  musk  or  camphor,  and  also  from  damp- 
ness. 

"  The  very  rare  antique  works  in  turquoise,"  Mr.  King 
says,  "  which  have  come  down  to  us,  are  all  executed  in 
the  green  sort,  the  principal  being  the  bust  of  Tiberius 
(Florence),  the  head  as  large  as  a  walnut,  sculptured  in  full 
relief;  and  the  busts  of  Li  via  and  the  same  emperor  as  a 
child,  in  half  relief,  on  a  stone  of  much  larger  dimensions 
(Marlborough  Collection).  A  mask  of  the  Indian  Bacchus 
in  front  face,  of  a  large  green  turquoise,  is  in  the  Blacas 
Collection. 

The  Mexicans  also  used  green  turquoise  for  ornamental 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  83 


purposes.  In  the  Christy  Museum  is  a  mask  formed  out  of 
part  of  a  human  skull,  coated  with  mosaic  work,  consisting 
chiefly  of  turquoise  and  obsidian. 

The  cAe</>a<;  opvKros,  or  fossil  ivory  of  Theophrastus,  is, 
probably,  the  odontolite,  or  bone  turquoise  de  la  nouvelle 
roche.  The  word  yu,eAaiva,  applied  to  it  by  Theophrastus, 
evidently  means  deep  blue,  as  Dr.  Hill  suggests,  as  he 
applies  a  similar  word  to  sapphirus  or  lapis- lazuli. 

OPALUS. — OPAL. 

"  Of  all  precious  stones,"  Pliny  says,  "  it  is  opal  that 
presents  the  greatest  difficulties  of  description,  displaying 
at  once  the  piercing  fire  of  carbunculus,  the  purple  bril- 
liancy of  amethystus,  and  sea-green  of  smaragdus,  the  whole 
blended  together,  and  refulgent  with  a  brightness  that  is 
quite  incredible.  India  is  the  sole  parent  of  these  precious 
stones.  This  stone,  in  consequence  of  its  extraordinary 
beauty,  has  been  called  'paederos'  (lovely  youth),  by  many 
authors;  and  some  who  make  a  distinct  species  of  it  say 
that  it  is  the  same  as  the  stone  that  in  India  is  called 
sangenon.  These  last-mentioned  stones,  it  is  said,  are 
found  in  Egypt,  also  Arabia,  and  of  very  inferior  quality  in 
Pontus."  Pliny  mentions  also,  as  being  in  existence  in  his 
time,  a  stone  of  the  size  of  a  hazel  nut,  on  account  of  which 
Antonius  proscribed  the  senator  Nonius.  On  being  pro- 
scribed, Nonius  took  to  flight,  carrying  with  him,  out  of  all 
his  wealth,  nothing  but  that  stone,  the  value  of  which  was 
estimated  at  vicies  U.S.,  20,000£.  of  our  money. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  of  this  stone,  described  by  Pliny, 
being  the  opal  of  modern  times. 

"  Some  mineralogists,"  Mr.  King  writes,  "  doubt  the 
fact  that  any  region  of  the  East  Indies  ever  produced  the 
true,  merely  because  no  such  gem  is  now  brought  from 

G  2 


84  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


thence;  but  the  same  argument  applies  here  as  in  the  case 
of  the  true  emerald,  not  at  this  moment  found  in  that 
country,  formerly  the  principal  source  of  the  stone." 

"  The  precious  opal,"  Mr.  Maskelyne  says,  "  is  so  rare  a 
stone,  that  with  our  mining  enterprise  and  geological 
research  over  the  far  vaster  world  of  modern  geography, 
we  know  of  only  two  certain  localities  for  it,  in  Hungary 
and  Mexico."  It  is  said,  however,  to  be  found  in  small 
rounded  pieces  in  sand,  in  Ceylon,  whence  probably  the 
Romans  obtained  it. 

Mr.  Maskelyne  mentions  a  quartz  in  the  trap  rocks  of 
the  ghauts  above  Bombay,  which  sometimes  shows  an 
iridescence  on  certain  of  its  crystal  plains  that  seems  to  be 
due  to  the  presence  of  this  kind  of  opal.  This  may  be  the 
sangenon  of  India.  The  stones  of  Egypt  and  Arabia 
are  likely  to  be  of  a  similar  substance. 

"  From  its  enormous  value,"  Mr.  King  writes,  "  as  well 
as  on  account  of  its  fragile  nature,  the  opal  must  have  been 
rarely  submitted  to  the  skill  of  the  Roman  engraver,  for  the 
earlier  Greeks  were  totally  unacquainted  with  the  gem." 
Hence  Professor  Urlicks  justly  pronounces  unique  the  opal 
of  the  (former)  Praun  Collection,  engraved  with  the  head 
of  Sol  between  those  of  Jupiter  and  Luna.  The  somewhat 
debased  style,"  Mr.  King  remarks,  "  shows  it  to  be  a  work 
of  the  Lower  Empire."  Another  magnificent  opal,  though 
corroded  by  time,  set  in  a  cabalistic  ring  of  the  thirteenth 
century,  is  now  in  the  Braybrooke  Collection. 

MITHRAX. — MATRIX  OP  OPAL. 

The  mithrax,  which  Pliny  tells  us  comes  from  Persia 
and  the  mountains  of  the  Red  Sea,  a  stone  of  numerous 
colours,  and  reflecting  various  tints  when  exposed  to  the 
sun,  may  be  identified  with  the  matrix  of  opal,  which 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  85 


exhibits    various  opalescent  tints,  from  the  veins  of  opal 
running  through  the  porphyry  stone. 

ANTHRACITIS. — HYDROPHANE. 

"  There  is  a  stone,"  Pliny  says,  "  found  in  Thesprotia, 
known  as  anthracitis,  resembling  a  burning  coal  in  appear- 
ance, and  which  when  drenched  with  water  becomes 
doubly  glowing.  Some  of  these  stones,"  he  adds,  "  are 
said  to  be  surrounded  with  a  vein  of  white."  These  pecu- 
liarities would  lead  us  to  identify  this  stone  with  hydro- 
phane,  which  acquires  all  the  beautiful  opalescent  tints  of 
the  opal  when  immersed  in  water.  The  vein  of  white  is 
evidently  cacholong,  which  is  frequently  associated  with 
hydrophane. 

CRYSTALLUS. — CRYSTAL. 

Rock  crystal  was  supposed  by  the  ancients  to  be  a  kind 
of  ice,  and  that  it  was  a  substance  which  assumed  a  con- 
crete form  from  excessive  congelation.  Hence  its  name 
from  the  Greek  /cpvo?,  cold.  According  to  Pliny,  the 
best  crystal  came  from  India,  but  that  found  on  the  Alpine 
heights  was  also  highly  valued. 

It  was  never  used  for  iutagli  by  the  Greeks  or  in  the 
Roman  period.  It  was  exclusively  employed  for  vases  and 
cups.  Nero  is  known  to  have  possessed  two  very  sumptuous 
vases  of  this  material  sculpture,  with  subjects  from  the 
Iliad,  both  of  which  we  are  told  he  dashed  to  pieces  in  a 
paroxysm  of  rage,  when  he  received  the  tidings  that  all 
was  lost.  Pliny  relates  that  there  was  such  a  mania  for  it, 
that  a  Roman  lady,  who  was  by  no  means  rich,  gave 
150,000  sesterces  for  a  single  bowl,  made  of  crystal. 
According  to  Pliny,  Xenophanes  speaks  of  having  seen  a 
vase  of  crystal,  which  held  one  amphora.  Pliny  also  men- 


86  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


tions,  as  the  largest  work  of  crystal  that  has  ever  been 
beheld,  the  one  that  was  consecrated  by  Julia  Augusta  in 
the  Capitol,  and  which  weighed  about  150  pounds. 

Under  the  Lower  Empire,  crystal  seems  to  'iave  been 
much  in  use  for  making  solid  finger-rings,  carve  1  out  of  a 
single  piece,  the  face  engraved  with  some  intaglio  serving 
for  a  signet. 

In  Italy,  during  the  Renaissance  period,  some  important 
intagli  in  crystal  have  been  executed.  Valerio  Vicentino 
was  famous  for  this  style  of  work.  In  the  Cinque-cento 
Collection  in  the  museum  at  Naples  is  a  magnificent  casket 
of  silver,  gilt,  with  engraved  plaques  of  crystal,  representing 
mythological  subjects,  and  various  events  in  the  history  of 
Alexander  the  Great,  in  complimentary  allusion  to  the 
achievements  of  Alessandro  Farnese,  to  whom  it  belonged. 
It  bears  the  name  of  Joannes  di  Bernardi.  A  casket  of  rock 
crystal,  on  which  are  engraved  the  events  of  the  Passion, 
by  Valerio  Vicentino,  is  in  the  cabinet  of  gems  in  the 
Florentine  Gallery.  It  was  a  present  from  Pope  Clement 
VII.  to  Francis  I.,  on  the  marriage  of  his  niece,  Catherine 
di  Medici. 

Crystal  has  been  often  used,  both  in  ancient  and  modern 
times,  for  the  purpose  of  fraud.  In  Pliny's  time  the  art 
was  well  known  how  to  stain  crystal,  so  as  to  pass  for 
emerald  or  any  other  transparent  precious  stone. 

AMETHYSTUS. — AMETHYST. 

Among  stones  of  a  purple  colour,  Pliny  gives  the  first 
rank  to  the  amethyst  of  India,  a  stone  which  is  also  found, 
he  says,  in  the  part  of  Arabia  that  adjoins  Syria,  and  is 
known  in  Petra,  as  also  in  Lesser  Armenia,  Egypt,  and  Ga- 
latia ;  the  very  worst  of  all  and  the  least  valued  being  those 
of  Pharos  and  Cyprus.  Another  variety  approaches  more 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  87 


nearly  the  hyacinthus  (sapphire)  in  colour :  the  people  of 
India  call  this  tint  socon,  and  the  stone  itself  socondion. 
Another  was  in  colour  like  that  of  wine,  and  a  last  variety 
but  little  valued,  bordering  very  closely  upon  that  of  crystal, 
the  purple  gradually  passing  off  into  white.  A  fine  ame- 
thyst should  always  have,  when  viewed  sideways  (in  suspectu), 
and  held  up  to  the  light,  a  certain  purple  effulgence,  like 
that  of  carbunculus,  slightly  inclining  to  a  tint  of  rose.  To 
these  stones  the  names  of  pcederos  and  '  Venus'  eyelid  ' 
(  Veneris  gena,  'A^poS^TTys  /3Ae</>apov)  were  given,  being  con- 
sidered as  particularly  appropriate  to  the  colour  and  general 
appearance  of  the  gem. 

The  name  which  these  stones  bear,  originates,  it  is  said, 
in  the  peculiar  tint  of  their  brilliancy,  which,  after  closely 
approaching  the  colour  of  wine,  passes  off  into  a  violet, 
without  being  fully  pronounced.  "All  these  stones," 
Pliny  adds,  "  are  transparent,  and  of  an  agreeable  violet 
colour,  and  are  easy  to  engrave.  Those  of  India  have  in 
perfection  the  very  richest  shades  of  purple." 

At  the  present  day  the  finest  amethysts  come  from  India, 
and  lapidaries  apply  the  term  Oriental  to  the  amethystine 
quartz  when  of  a  very  brilliant  violet  tint,  and  of  two 
shades  of  colour  (qualities  distinguishing  the  Indian  from  the 
German).  This  stone  must  be,  however,  carefully  distin- 
guished from  the  true  Oriental  amethyst,  which  is  a  sapphire 
of  a  violet  colour. 

"  Intagli  of  all  dates,"  Mr.  King  says,  "  and  in  every 
style,  occur  upon  amethysts,  but  so  much  more  generally  on 
the  pale  sort  that  an  engraving  upon  one  of  a  rich  dark 
colour,  may,  on  that  very  ground,  be  suspected  as  modern. 
Although  the  amethyst  came  into  use  amongst  the  earliest 
materials  used  by  the  gem  engraver,  for  we  £nd  in  it  an 
abundance  of  Egyptian  charms  (pendants  for  necklaces),  in 


ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


the  form  of  vases,  shells,  bands,  &c.,  and  sometimes  Scara- 
bsei,  the  last  of  Etruscan  work  also,  and  Roman  intagli  in  it 
are  sufficiently  numerous,  yet  it  is  a  singular  fact  that  we 
rarely  meet  with  works  in  the  highest  style  executed  in  this 
material.  Probably  the  superior  kind  was  too  precious  to  be 
so  employed,  whilst  the  paleness  of  the  other  and  cheaper 
sorts  was  repugnant  to  the  taste  of  first-rate  artists."  6 

Some  fine  Greek  intagli  occur  in  this  stone.  Mr.  King 
mentions,  among  others,  the  Marlborough  Omphale,  on  an 
amethyst  (of  the  Indian  kind)  of  superior  lustre  and  rich- 
ness of  colour,  and  the  Berlin  Atalanta  engraved  on  a  large 
circular  convex  stone.  Among  other  celebrated  engravings 


Diana  of  Appollonius. 


Pallas  of  Eutyches. 


Medusa. 


in  amethyst  are  the  Pallas  of  Eutyches,  deeply  engraved  on' 
a  pale  amethyst,  the  Achilles  Citharredus  of  Pamphilus 
(Paris).  The  Diana,  of  Appollonius  (Naples),  the  Medusa 
(Blacas),  the  Mecasnas  of  Dioscorides  (Paris),  a  head  of 
Pan,  deeply  sunk  in  a  pale  amethyst  inscribed  2KYAAH,  in 
the  Blacas  Collection.  In  the  Devonshire  Collection  is  a 
magnificent  amethyst  intaglio,  bearing  the  bust  of  Shappur  I. 


"  Natural  History  of  Gems,"  p.  31. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


of  the  race  of  the  Sassanides.7  This  stone  (\\  x  1  inch 
oval)  forms  the  centre  in  the  comb 8  belonging  to  the  parure 
of  antique  gems,  the  property  of  the  Duke  of  Devonshire. 
In  the  Florentine  collection  is  a  large  amethyst  with  the 
portrait  of  Mithridates  the  Great.  "  Heads,  and  even 
busts,"  Mr.  King  writes,  "  both  in  full  and  in  half  relief, 
often  occur  of  antique  workmanship  in  this  stone,  as  some 
perfectly-preserved  remains  show  they  served  to  complete 
statuettes  in  the  precious  metals.  The  grandest  of  Medusa 
heads,  the  Blacas,  is  carved  out  of  an  amethyst  of  the  dark- 
est violet,  two  inches  in  diameter." 

According  to  some  authorities,  the  name  amethyst  has 
been  derived  from  a  not,  peOvw  to  intoxicate,  on  account 
of  its  being  a  supposed  preservative  against  inebriety.  Von 
Hammer  suggests  the  Persian  shemest  as  the  true  origin  of 
the  word. 

CRATERITES. — YELLOW  QUARTZ. 

Craterites,  which  Pliny  describes  as  in  colour  a  medium 
between  chrysolithus  and  amber,  and  as  remarkable  for  its 
hardness,  may  be  a  yellow  quartz  which  is  often  met  with 
of  a  rich  orange  yellow,  partaking  of  the  colour  of  amber. 
Pliny's  Pontic  Chrysolectri,  and  his  Chrysolithus,  twelve 
pounds  in  weight,  may  be  also  identified  with  yellow  quartz. 

Yellow  crystal  was  seldom  engraved  upon  by  the  ancients. 
Only  a  few  examples  are  known.  The  best  are  a  head  of 
Julia  Titi  (Rhodes),  a  replica  of  the  famous  beryl  of 

7  According  to  Mr.  Thomas,  the  legend  surrounding  the  central 
portrait  proves  that  it  constituted  the  royal  signet  of  Bahrain  Ker- 
man  Shah,  the  son  and  second  eventual  successor  of  Sapor  the 
Great,  (Postumus,  A.D.  310.  381),  so  celebrated  in  the  wars  of  the 
Lower  Empire  as  the  too-successful  opponent  of  the  Byzantine 
Constantius. 

3  See  frontispiece. 


90  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


Evodus,  and  a  large  double  uneven  stone  of  great  lustre, 
covered  with  a  Gnostic  formula  on  both  sides  (British 
Museum).  An  intaglio  with  the  head  of  Horace,  in  the 
Blacas  Collection,  is  also  of  yellow  crystal. 

Cinque-cento  and  recent  engravers  have  largely  turned 
to  account  this  material. 

Citrine  or  yellow-green  quartz  was  sometimes  used  by 
the  ancients  for  intagli.  This  stone  and  yellow  quartz  are 
the  only  yellow  stones  which  have  come  down  to  us  from 
antiquity.  It  would  appear  that  yellow  stones  were  not  in 
favour  with  the  Romans,  with  the  exception  of  those 
partaking  of  an  orange  tint.  Yellow  was,  however,  a  colour 
much  affected  by  the  Greeks  in  their  choice  of  gems  ;  with 
the  Romans,  as  children  of  Mars,  red  was  the  favourite. 

IRIS. 

Pliny  mentions  this  stone  as  found  in  a  certain  island  of 
the  Red  Sea,  forty  miles  distant  from  the  city  of  Berenice. 
It  is  partly  composed  of  crystal,  and  is  hexahedral  in  form, 
like  crystal.  It  takes  its  name  iris  from  the  properties 
which  it  possesses  ;  for,  when  struck  by  the  rays  of 
the  sun  in  a  covered  spot  it  projects  upon  the  nearest 
walls  the  form  and  diversified  colours  of  the  rainbow. 
Opinion  seems  divided  as  to  whether  this  is  Hyaline  quartz 
iridized  internally  (called  at  the  present  day  iris)  or  the 
prismatic  crystals  of  limpid  quartz,  which  decompose  the 
rays  of  the  sun. 

SANDASTROS  (female).     AVANTURINE. 

The  female  sandastros,  which  Pliny  describes  as  possess- 
ing a  flame  of  a  more  softened  nature,  and  which  may  be 
pronounced  to  be  lustrous  rather  than  brilliant,  is  doubtless 
the  stone  termed  avanturine.  Pliny  further  writes  that 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  91 


"  Isinenias  asserts  that  sandastros,  in  consequence  of  its 
extreme  softness,  will  not  admit  of  being  polished."  This 
can  alone  be  applied  to  the  male  sandastros  (sunstone), 
which  being  a  felspar  is  softer  in  its  nature  than  the  female 
sandastros  (avanturine  quartz).  One  point,  Pliny  adds,  upon 
which  all  the  authorities  are  agreed  is,  that  the  greater 
the  number  of  stars  upon  this  stone  the  more  costly  it  is  in 
price.  The  best  specimens  of  sunstone  and  avanturine 
present  a  number  of  starlike  specks  in  it,  the  first  being 
scales  of  oxide  of  iron,  and  in  the  second  minute  spangles 
of  mica. 

Hammichrysos,  which  Pliny  describes  as  resembling  sand 
in  appearance,  but  sand  mixed  with  gold,  was  evidently 
another  name  for  this  stone. 

SANDARESOS. — GREEN  AVANTURINE. 

Pliny  tells  us  that  a  stone  of  the  name  of  sanclaresos  is 
mentioned  by  Nicander  as  a  native  of  India  as  well  as 
sandastros.  The  colour  of  it  is  that  of  an  apple,  or  of 
green  oil,  and  no  one  sets  any  value  on  it.  This  is  un- 
doubtedly the  green  avanturine,  which  comes  from  India. 

SARDIUS. — SARD. 

The  sardius  of  the  ancients  is  the  rich  and  bright  red,  or 
yellowish  red  chalcedony,  or  Oriental  carnelian.  According 
to  Pliny  it  derived  its  name  from  Sardis,  where  it  was  first 
found,  but  modern  writers  derive  it  from  zerd,  the  Persian 
for  yellow,  the  yellow  sard  being  the  stone  most  affected 
by  the  Greeks.  The  red  was  the  favourite  of  the  Romans. 

<k  The  most  esteemed  kind,"  Pliny  says,  "  was  from  the 
vicinity  of  Babylon.  In  India  there  are  three  varieties  of 
this  stone  ;  the  red  sarda,  the  one  known  as  '  pionia,'  from 
its  thickness,  and  a  third  kind,  beneath  which  they  place  a 


92  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 

ground  of  silver  tinsel.  The  Indian  stones  are  translucent, 
those  of  Arabia  being  more  opaque.  There  are  some 
found  also  in  the  vicinity  of  Leucas  in  Epirus,  and  in 
Egypt,  which  have  a  ground  placed  beneath  them  of  leaf 
gold." 

India  (Cambay)  still  furnishes  the  finest  kinds  of  sard  or 
red  cornelian.  Pliny  divides  these  stones  into  male  and 
female,  the  male  being  more  brilliant  than  the  female,  which 
is  more  opaque. 

"  The  gradations  of  colour,"  Mr.  King  writes,  "  exhibited 
by  the  antique  sard  are  almost  innumerable.  The  bright 
cherry  deepens  into  the  fiery  red  of  the  carbuncle,  and 
thence  into  a  semi-opaque  black,  only  red  when  viewed 
by  transmitted  light.  The  bright  pale  yellow  increases  in 
intensity  to  the  richest  orange,  and  thence  to  a  reddish- 
brown  scarcely  to  be  distinguished  from  the  jacinth " 
(hyacinthine  garnet). 

"  In  this  stone,"  we  further  quote  Mr.  King,  "  nearly  all 
the  performances  of  the  most  celebrated  antique  artists  are  to 
be  found,  for  as  a  general  rule  fine  work  was  never  thrown 
away  upon  an  inferior  or  too  obdurate  a  material;  and  there 
was  good  cause  for  this  preference ;  such  was  its  toughness, 
facility  in  working,  beauty  of  colour,  and  the  high  polish 
of  which  it  is  susceptible,  which  last,  Pliny  remarks,  it 
retains  longer  than  any  other  gem."  9 

Greek  artists  usually  adopted  the  pale  sard  for  the  finer 
and  more  delicate  works,  but  we  find  the  blood-red  sard  and 
the  brown  sard  occasionally  employed  by  the  engraver. 

The  finest  Roman  intagli  are  for  the  most  part  found  in 
the  bright-red  sard,  being  the  variety  held  most  in  esteem 
by  the  Romans. 

9  "Natural  History  of  Gems,"  "  Sardius." 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  93 


In  the  collection  of  the  author  is  a  beautiful  specimen  of 
an  intaglio  in  the  bright-red  sard  (If  by  1  inch,  oval).  The 
subject  is  a  Victory  with  trophies,  inscribed  2OAQNOS.  It 
was  formerly  in  the  Demidoff  Collection. 

"  The  light-yellow  sort,"  Mr.  King  says,  "  was  much  em- 
ployed at  an  earlier  period.  On  this  most  frequently  occur 
the  finest  works  of  the  Greek  artists,  more  especially  those 
stiffly  drawn  but  highly-finished  figure's  of  the  most  minute 
execution,  surrounded  with  borders,  which  were  formerly 
termed  Etruscan,  but  now  are  with  more  reason  ascribed  to 
the  Archaic  Greek  school.  Some  good  Roman  works  occur 
in  this  variety,  but  they  are  few  in  number,  and  of  an  early 
date,  thus  scarcely  confirming  Pliny's  statement  as  to  the 
disrepute  into  which  the  yellow-coloured  had  fallen." 

The  pale  rich  yellow,  or  golden  sard,  was  the  favourite 
stone  of  the  Greek  artist. 

In  the  yellow  sard,  which  is  less  transparent  and  where 
lurks  the  brightness  of  the  golden  sard,  several  Archaic 
Greek  and  Roman  engravings  occur.  The  Archaic  Greek 
intaglio  of  Hercules  discharging  his  arrows  at  the  Stympha- 
lian  birds  is  yellow  sard. 

The  hyacinthine  sard  is  the  term  applied  to  a  rich  and 
glorious  variety  of  this  stone  which  possesses  the  orange- 
red  tint,  with  almost  the  transparency  of  the  kind  of  garnet 
termed  in  France  hyacinthe  la  belle.  One  beautiful 
example  of  this  stone,  bearing  an  intaglio  of  a  Bacchante, 
is  in  the  Blacas  Collection. 

Sardine,  the  sardoine  of  the  French,  is  a  dark-red 
translucent,  but  sometimes  very  transparent  sard,  the  aspect 
of  which  is  almost  black,  its  fine  colour  being  only  seen 
when  it  is  looked  through.  It  often  carries  noble  work  of 
the  late  Greek,  and  early  Imperial  Roman  periods,  but  still 
oftener  the  works  of  the  Cinque-cento  and  modern  artists. 


94  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


When  the  sard-like  layers  of  the  onyx  are  of  inferior  or 
opaque  quality,  the  stone  passes  into  jasper-onyx.1 

"  Those  stones,"  Pliny  says,  "  which  are  like  honey  in 
colour,  are  generally  disapproved,  and  still  more  so  when 
they  have  the  complexion  of  earthenware."  In  this  dull  red, 
earthy  kind  (the  common  carnelian)  are  the  most  ancient 
intagli  usually  cut,  the  Egyptian  and  Etruscan  scarabsei, 
and  the  greater  part  of  the  other  ring-stones  engraved  in 
Etruria. 

SARDONYX. 

It  has  been  denned  by  Pliny  as  originally  signifying  a 
white  layer  over  sard  (candor  in  sarda),  like  the  human  nail 
placed  upon  flesh,  both  parts  of  the  stones  being  equally 
transparent.  Such,  according  to  Ismenias,  Demostratus, 
Zenothemis,  and  Sotacus,  was  the  sardonyx  of  India. 

"  At  the  present  day,"  Pliny  says,  "  the  Arabian  sardonyx 
presents  no  traces  whatever  of  the  Indian  sard  (i.  e.  of  a 
transparent  red  layer),  it  being  a  stone  that  has  been  found 
to  be  characterized  by  several  different  colours  of  late ; 
black  or  azure  for  the  base,  and  vermilion,  surrounded  with 
a  line  of  rich  white,  for  the  upper  part,  not  without  a  certain 
glimpse  of  purple  as  the  white  passes  into  red. 

"  In  the  stones  of  India,"  he  says,  "  the  ground  is  like 
wax  in  colour,  or  else  like  cornel,  with  a  circle  also  of  white 
around  it.  In  some  of  these  stones,  too,  there  is  a  play  of 
colours  like  those  of  the  rainbow,  while  the  surface  is  redder 
than  even  the  shell  of  the  sea-locust." 

Pliny  relates  that  in  the  time  of  Zenothemis  "  these  stones 
were  not  held  by  the  people  of  India  in  any  high  esteem, 
although  they  were  found  there  of  so  large  a  size  as  to 
admit  of  the  hilts  of  swords  being  made  of  them.  It  is  well 

1  Maskelyne.     Introduction  to  Catalogue  of  Maryborough  Gems. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  95 


known,  too,  that  in  that  country  they  are  exposed  to  view 
by  the  mountain  streams,  and  that  in  our  part  of  the  world 
they  were  formerly  valued  from  the  fact  that  they  are 
nearly  the  only  ones  among  engraved  precious  stones  that 
do  not  bring  away  the  wax  when  an  impression  is  made. 
The  consequence  is,  that  our  example  thus  at  last  taught 
the  people  of  India  to  set  a  value  upon  them,  and  the  lower 
classes  there  now  prize  them  even  to  wear  as  ornaments  for 
the  neck ;  the  great  proof,  in  fact,  at  the  present  day,  of  a 
sardonyx  being  of  Indian  origin."  Pliny  also  mentions 
that  the  first  Roman  who  wore  a  sardonyx,  according  to 
Demostratus,  was  the  elder  Africanus,  since  whose  time  this 
stone  has  been  held  in  very  high  esteem  in  Rome. 

With  most  ancient  writers  three  colours  were  considered 
essential  to  the  idea  of  a  sardonyx ;  hence  termed  by  Lucian 
\f/f)(f>o<s  TUJV  Tpi\o)fjuov  fpvOpa  eTrtTroX^s,  as  appears  also  from 
what  Pliny  says  as  to  the  manner  of  forging  it  (xxxvii.  75). 
"  Sardonyx  gems  are  made  up  out  of  three  stones  cemented 
together  so  neatly  that  the  fraud  cannot  be  discovered,  by 
selecting  one  a  black,  another  a  white,  the  third  a  red,  each 
one  the  best  in  its  respective  kind."  In  the  same  sense 
Martial  makes  his  lady-killer  boast  of  a  real  sardonyx  thrice 
girt  with  zones. 

'"  Sardonyeha  verum  liueisque  ter  cinctum." 

Though  three  layers  at  least  were  required  to  constitute  a 
true  sardonyx  (with  only  two  it  remained  an  onyx),  yet 
these  might  be  repeated  indefinitely  without  altering  its 
designation.  Kohler  lays  down  "  that  it  was  a  sardonyx  as 
long  as  the  different  colours  lay  in  regular  layers  one  over 
the  other.  It  was  sardonyx,  whether  the  white  stratum 
united  with  a  male  or  female  (dark  or  light)  sard ;  whether 
the  stone  possessed  three,  four,  five,  or  nine  strata.  For  the 


96  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


name  sardonyx  implied  the  regular  union  of  the  sard  with  a 
white  layer ;  now  the  sard  exhibited  innumerable  gradations 
into  red,  yellow,  brown,  and  black." 

In  the  opinion  of  Mr.  King,  a  perfect  Oriental  sardonyx  is 
still  required  to  exhibit  the  same  characters  as  when  Pliny 
defined  them.  The  base  must  be  black  (in  reality  a  trans- 
lucent chocolate  colour  when  held  against  the  sun),  the 
middle  zone  opaque  fatty  white,  the  surface  a  light  brown 
or  red.2 

The  Romans  rarely  engraved  intagli  on  sardonyx.  They 
employed  it  in  their  jewellery  and  rings,  cut  either  en 
cabochon,  or  in  a  truncated  cone  of  an  oval  section,  more  or 
less  high,  so  proportioned  as  to  display  the  three  zones  to 
the  greatest  perfection.  When  intagli  are  found  in  a  sar- 
donyx they  are  always  sunk  but  slightly  into,  or  rather 
sketched  upon,  the  surface,  so  as  to  be  invisible  at  a  trifling 
distance. 

It  was  for  camei  that  this  material  was  specially  reserved ; 
the  various  shades,  taken  advantage  of  with  singular  dex- 
terity by  the  artist,  enabled  him  to  add  the  charm  of  colour 
to  the  relief.  He  has  frequently  availed  himself  with  won- 
derful skill  of  the  different  colours  of  the  alternating  zones 
to  express  the  different  parts  of  the  figure,  such  as  the  hair, 

2  "  Dealers  and  others,"  Dr.  Billing  writes  ("  The  Science  of  Gems," 
p.  66)  "  make  an  interminable  confusion  of  nomenclature  with  respect 
to  onyx  and  sardonyx,  but  the  solution  is  very  simple  ;  it  has  been 
erroneously  asserted  that  onyx  means  a  stone  of  two  strata,  sardonyx 
of  three  or  more.  The  terms  have  not  the  slightest  reference  to  the 
number  of  strata.  Onyx  means  merely  the  superposition  of  at  least 
one  stratum  over  another,  one  being  white,  and  the  other  pale,  trans- 
lucent or  red,  or  black,  or  brown,  or  any  other  colour ;  but  if  that 
other  colour  be  sard,  it  constitutes  a  sard-onyx  (sardonyx  :  candor  in 
sarda ;  Pliny,  lib.  xxxvii.)  ;  and  there  may  be  three  or  more  layers 
of  either  onyx  or  sardonyx." 


ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


97 


the  garments.  These  polychrome  works  belong  to  Roman 
and  imperial  times,  more  especially  to  the  reign  of  Hadrian, 
to  whose  age  may  be  referred  the  greater  number  of  the  fine 
Roman  camei,  representing  in  apotheosis  the  members  of 
the  Julian  and  Claudian  families  often  upon  sardonyxes  of 
vast  dimensions,  and  exhibiting  from  two  to  four  or  five 


Cameo  of  the  Sainte  Chapelle. 


98 


ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


differently-coloured  layers  of  the  stone,  each  of  which  has 
been  taken  advantage  of  by  the  engraver  for  the  rendering 
of  some  particular  portion  of  his  design. 

Some  of  the  most  celebrated  productions  of  the  glyptic 
art  among  the  ancients  have  been  executed  in  sardonyx. 

The  largest  slab  of  this  material  known  is  that  forming 
the  Carpegna  cameo  (in  the  Vatican),  16  inches  long  by  12 
deep,  the  subject  the  Triumph  of  Bacchus  and  Ceres, 
executed  in  a  stone  of  five  layers. 

Next  in  size,  13  >r"ll  inches,  is  "le  Grand  Camee  de 
France,"  known  as  the  Agate  of  the  Sainte  Chapelle,  repre- 
senting the  Triumph  of  Germanicus,  and  the  Apotheosis  of 
Augustus.  This  stone  has  also  five  strata. 


Gemma  Augustea. 


Third  in  point  of  magnitude,  but  superior  as  a  work  of 
art,  is  the  "  Gemma  Augustea "  of  Vienna,  the  subject  of 
which  is  the  reception  of  Drusus  (father  of  Germanicus) 
by  Augustus  as  Jupiter,  and  Livia  as  Roma  after  his  victory 


ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


99 


over  the  Rhasti  and  Vendelici,  B.C.  1 7.  Its  shape  is  ellipti- 
cal, 9x8  inches.  It  has  only  two  layers. 

In  the  Marlborough  Collection  is,  perhaps,  the  most 
extraordinary  sardonyx  in  the  world,  for  it  presents  stratp- 
of  transparent  sard,  purple,  or  rather  lilac,  opaque  white, 
and  a  ground  of  opaque  black — colours  not  united  in  any 
other  example  known  to  the  world.  It  bears  in  flat  relief 
two  imperial  busts,  attributed  without  much  reason  to 
Didius  Julianus  and  Manlia  Scantilla. 

It  is  a  very  late  and  tame  work,  and  may  have  belonged 
to  some  series  of  imperial  portraits  wrought  at  a  late  period, 


Tazza  F*rnese. 

ii  2 


100 


ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


so  late  a  period,  perhaps,  as  the  age  of  Constantine,  but  it 
presents  no  marked  likeness  to  any  imperial  pair  of  heads. 
It  is  8  inches  wide  by  6  deep. 

The  Tazza  Farnese  in  the  museum  at  Naples  is  a  beautiful 
specimen  of  sardonyx,  8  inches  in  diameter.  In  the  inner 
portion  of  the  tazza  is  a  cameo,  the  subject  of  which  is 
supposed  to  be  The  Prosperity  of  Egypt.  The  outer  portion 
is  ornamented  with  the  head  of  Medusa  in  relief. 


The  Gonzaga  or  Odescalchi  Cameo. 

According  to  Visconti  the  portraits  are  those  of  Ptolemy 
Euergetes  and  Berenice.  Mr.  King  finds  a  resemblance 
in  the  male  head  to  that  of  Nero,  and  the  female  to 
Agrippina.  It  is  a  sardonyx  of  three  strata,  but  is1 
composed  of  several  pieces.  The  collars  and  ornaments 
given  to  each  head  conceal  the  joinings.  Size  6x5 
inches.  It  is  now  in  the  Imperial  Collection  of  Russia. 

The  two-handled  cup  or  carchesium  of  St.  Denis,  usually 


ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


101 


styled  the  cup  of  the  Ptolemies,  is  made  of  a  splendid  sar- 
donyx, 5  inches  high.  Its  sculptures  represent  masks,  vases, 
and  other  Bacchic  emblems.  It  was  supposed  to  have  been 
executed  for  Ptolemy  Dionysus,  but,  as  Mr.  King  says,  it 
may  be  assigned  to  Nero,  a  great  amateur  in  vases  of  this 
material. 

Another  celebrated  vase  of  sardonyx  is  the  Brunswick 
vase,  which  represents  the  myth  of  Ceres  in  search  of 
Proserpine,  and  that  of  Triptolemus.  It  is  an  alabastron, 
or  tall  perfume  jar,  with  narrow  neck;  5  inches  high  by  2 
in  the  greatest  diameter.  Its  style  is  supposed  to  indicate 
the  age  of  the  Antonines. 


Augustus. 

The  noble  bust  of  Augustus,  with  the  aegis  on  the  breast, 
in  the  Blacas  Collection,  is  a  cameo  of  sardonyx  of  three 
layers.  It  is  of  an  oval  form,  measuring  5i  inches  by  3|. 
It  has  been  generally  considered  to  belong  to  the  Augustan 
age. 

The  variety  termed  chalcedonyx,  in  which  antique  camei 
sometimes  occur,  is  not  mentioned  by  any  ancient  writer, 


102  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


A  cameo  of  this  stone  of  two  layers,  white  and  grey,  repre- 
senting Neptune  and  Amymone,  is  in  the  possession  of  the 
author. 

ONYX. 

Numerous  and  conflicting  are  the  definitions  of  onyx 
given  by  ancient  writers.  Theophrastus  defines  onyx  as  a 
mixture  of  white  and  dark  brown  placed  alternately.  Pliny 
gives  different  descriptions  of  the  Indian  and  Arabian 
varieties  of  onyx  according  to  Zenothemis  and  Sotacus, 
and  tells  us  that  Sudines  says  that  in  this  stone  there  is  a 
white  portion  which  resembles  the  white  of  the  human 
finger-nail,  in  addition  to  the  colours  of  chrysolithus,  sarda, 
and  iaspis,  and  lastly  says  that  the  real  onyx,  according  to 
Satyrus,  has  numerous  veins  of  variegated  colours,  inter- 
spersed with  others  of  a  milk-white  hue. 

Kohler  makes  the  following  distinctions  between  onyx 
and  sardonyx,  basing  his  view  on  the  definitions  of  onyx 
given  by  ancient  writers.  "  The  question,  how  is  the  onyx 
to  be  distinguished  from  the  sardonyx,  is  now  easily  to  be 
answered  out  of  Pliny.  As  far  as  regards  the  substance 
and  the  colours,  both  are  one  and  the  same  stone.  It  is 
called  onyx  when  the  red,  brown,  or  yellow  ground  is 
covered  with  white  veins  irregularly  and  capriciously  dis- 
posed. If  therefore  these  veins  formed  sometimes  stripes, 
sometimes  spots,  sometimes  eyes,  then  was  the  stone  the 
onyx.  But  if  the  various  colours  of  this  stone  lay  in  regu- 
lar strata,  one  over  the  other,  then  it  became  the  sardonyx." 
The  onyx  of  the  ancients  would  thus  appear  to  be  our 
agate,  an  irregularly-stratified  stone,  the  layers  of  which 
are  wavy  and  often  concentric,  and  the  sardonyx  the  regu- 
larly stratified  stone. 

The  description,  however,  of  Theophrastus  and  of  the 
Arabian  onyx  would  seem  to  point  to  the  onyx  as  consisting 


v   ANTIQUE  GEMS.  103 

of  parallel  horizontal  white  and  black  layers,  like  the  onyx 
of  our  day. 

In  the  modern  acceptation  of  the  word,  onyx  is  defined 
as  consisting  of  only  two  layers,  a  white  over  a  black. 

The  onyx  or  agate  seems  to  have  been  in  much  use 
among  the  ancients  for  vases.  The  earliest  notice  extant  of 
onyx  vases  occurs  in  Appian  (Bell.  Mith.,  115),  where  he 
enumerates  amongst  the  treasures  of  Mithridates,  captured  at 
Talaura,  2000  vessels  of  onyx  (\i6ov  o^in'Sos).  Posido- 
uius  describes  a  collection  of  onyx  bowls,  found  in  nests,  and 
Epiphanius  speaks  of  the  Oriental  princesses  as  delighting 
in  drinking-vessels  cut  out  of  the  onyx. 

Fragments  of  cups  of  onyx  (agate)  are  frequently  found 
among  Roman  ruins.  In  the  possession  of  the  author  are 
some  fragments  of  these  cups,  which  present  all  the  irregu- 
larly-stratified features  of  the  onyx  as  defined  by  Kohler, 
and  as  described  by  Satyr  us. 

The  banded,  or  so-called  tri-coloured  agate,  so  cut  that 
the  strata  are  seen  crossing  the  stone,  was  much  affected  in 
the  earlier,  and  also  common  in  the  late  phase  of  ripened 
Greek  taste,  especially  in  Magna  Grecia. 

The  finest  onyxes  or  agates  came  from  India  in  ancient 
times.  They  are  mentioned  by  the  author  of  the  "  Periplus 
of  the  Red  Sea,"  as  being  brought  from  Ozene  (Ougein) 
down  to  Baryguza  (Broach,  in  the  Gulf  of  Carnbay)  for 
exportation. 

At  the  present  day  a  great  abundance  of  the  finest  varie- 
ties of  agates  or  onyx-stones  come  from  the  Nerbudda,  and 
from  Malwa,  above  the  Vindhyas. 

JASP-ONYX. 

Pliny's  "  onychi  juncta  quae  jasp-ouyx  vocatur,"  Mr.  King 
writes,  is  indicated  by  the  very  composition  of  the  name,  as 


104  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


that  extremely  rare  onyx,  in  which  a  true  opaque  red  jasper 
is  superimposed  upon  a  plasma,  to  use  modern  terms.  In 
such  material  was  engraved  the  wonderful  Corinthian 
helmet,  the  glory  of  the  (old)  Poniatows'ky  cabinet. 

BELI  OCULUS. — EYE  ONYX. 

Beli  oculus,  which  Pliny  describes  as  a  stone  of  a  whitish 
hue,  surrounding  a  black  pupil  in  the  middle,  which  shines 
amid  a  lustre  like  that  of  gold,  was  only  some  highly- 
shaded  variety  of  the  eye  onyx.  Pliny  adds,  "  This  stone, 
in  consequence  of  its  singular  beauty,  has  been  consecrated 
to  the  Deity  (Bel),  and  held  in  the  highest  veneration  by 
the  people  of  Assyria."  It  is  much  prized  at  the  present 
day  in  India. 

Another  variety  of  the  eye  onyx  is  Leucopthalmos, 
which  he  describes  as  of  a  reddish-hue,  and  presenting  all 
the  appearance  of  an  eye,  in  white  and  black. 

^EGYPTILLA. — NICOLO. 

"  The  stone  commonly  known  by  that  name,"  Pliny  writes, 
"  is  black  at  the  lower  part,  and  blue  on  the  surface."  This 
is  an  exact  description  of  the  variety  of  onyx  known  as 
nicolo,  consisting  of  a  layer  of  a  bluish  tint  over  black. 
When  used  for  an  intaglio,  the  design  was  cut  down  through 
the  blue  layer  into  the  black. 

Intagli  in  this  stone  are  invariably  in  the  Eoman  manner, 
and  in  style  all  posterior  to  the  reign  of  Nero.  They 
usually  have  bevil  edges. 

The  nicolo  continued  to  be  a  rather  favourite  stone  so 
long  as  gem-engraving  existed  as  an  art,  and  among  the 
gems  of  the  Sassanian  empire  we  find  mingled  with  many 
luminous  and  lovely  sards,  and  with  transcendent  garnets, 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  105 


nicolos  presenting  the  finest  contrasts  in  their  colours,  all 
these  stones  carrying  the  singular  and  rudely-worked  sub- 
jects which  seem  to  have  represented  an  art  inherited  from 
the  days  of  Mesopotamian  cylinders,  and  Persian  conical 
stamps,  but  modified  in  its  technique  by  the  introduction  of 
methods,  especially  the  use  of  a  coarse  wheel  from  the 
West. 

Mr.  King  mentions  a  splendid  specimen  of  an  intaglio  in 
this  stone  formerly  in  the  Hertz  collection.  It  is  an  oval 
nearly  2  inches  high,  of  the  richest  blue  and  black,  engraved 
in  a  very  bold  manner,  with  Apollo  resting  his  lyre  on  a 
column,  and  standing  before  a  tali  smoking  tripod.  A 
nicolo  with  the  head  of  Caracalla  is  in  the  Blacas  Collec- 
tion. 

PRASIUS. — PLASMA. 

The  prasius  of  Pliny  is  a  plasma,  a  chalcedony  of  leek- 
green  colour,  with  a  waxy  lustre.  By  Pliny  it  is  con- 
sidered the  commonest  among  the  numerous  kinds  of  green 
stones.  It  was  extensively  used  for  intagli  among  the 
Romans  at  a  later  period,  the  subjects  engraved  being 
mythological  figures,  such  as  Victories,  Venus  and  the 
Graces,  Eagles,  &c.,  of  a  late  epoch  of  Rome. 

Mr.  King  mentions  only  one  intaglio  in  plasma  possessing 
great  artistic  merit — a  bust  of  Severus,  in  a  large  gem  of 
remarkable  beauty,  in  the  British  Museum. 

Camei  in  this  stone  are  abundant,  but  seem,  with  few 
exceptions,  to  belong  to  the  times  of  the  Renaissance  or 
later. 

Plasma  di  smeraldo  and  prasina,  terms  by  which  this 
stone  is  known  in  Italy,  are  corruptions  of  prasius. 

According  to  an  authority,  the  o/x<£a£  of  Theophrastus 
was  a  plasma,  a  pale  green  chalcedony,  but  of  the  greatest 
rarity  when  carrying  true  Greek  work. 


106  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


Some  modern  writers  frequently  confound  this  stone 
(plasma)  with  prase,  a  stone  of  a  different  nature.  It  is  a 
dull  green,  impure,  translucent  vitreous  quartz.  No  antique 
intagli  occur  in  this  stone;  it  was  evidently  unknown  to 
the  ancients. 

PRASIUS  SANGUINEIS  PUNCTIS. — HELIOTROPE. 

This  variety  of  prasius,  mentioned  by  Pliny  as  disfigured 
with  spots  like  blood  (sanguineis  punctis),  is  our  heliotrope, 
a  plasma,  or  green  chalcedony,  interspersed  with  small 
patches  of  opaque  bright  red  jasper. 

JASPIS. — CHALCEDONY. 

The  following  is  Pliny's  description  of  this  stone: — 
"  Jaspis  is  green,  and  often  transparent.  Many  countries 
produce  this  stone.  That  of  India  is  like  smaragdus  in 
colour ;  that  of  Cyprus  is  hard,  and  of  a  pale  sea-green ; 
and  that  of  Persia  is  sky-blue,  whence  its  name,  aerizusa. 
There  is  also  the  '  terebinthyusa  iaspis.'  " 

From  greenness  and,  more  or  less,  translucency  being 
the  essential  characteristics  of  the  ancient  jaspis,  it  cannot 
be  identified  with  the  jasper  of  modern  times,  as  it  is  an 
opaque  stone.  The  jaspis  of  Pliny  would  appear  to  include 
the  several  varieties  of  chalcedony — the  green,  the  blue, 
the  yellow;  in  a  word,  as  Mr.  King  savs,  every  colour 
except  the  blood-red,  which  gave  its  name  to  the  sard. 

The  green  jaspis  of  India  and  that  of  Cyprus,  mentioned 
by  Pliny,  appear  to  be  plasmas,  while  that  of  Persia  (the 
aerizusa)  is  the  sapphirine,  or  blue  chalcedony,  of  modern 
times,  and  the  jaspis  terebinthyusa,  the  yellow  chalcedony. 

The  leuchachates  of  Pliny  is  according  to  some  writers 
white  chalcedony,  or  our  modern  white  carnelian. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


107 


The  Indian  green  jaspis  of  Pliny  appears  to  be  a  plasma 
of  a  rarer  kind,  and  almost  approaching  in  colour  to  the 
emerald,  while  the  prasius  was  a  plasma  of  a  commoner 
sort,  in  which  the  greater  number  of  Roman  intagli  were 
engraved.  At  the  present  day  a  fine  green  Indian  plasma 
comes  from  the  Vendhya  hills. 

Some  intagli  of  a  Roman  period  occur  in  this  jaspis,  or 
plasma,  of  a  beautiful  emerald  colour. 

Pliny  mentions  a  variety  of  this  stone,  "  like  emerald  in 
colour,  but  traversed  by  an  opaque  white  band  through  the 
middle,"  called  jaspis  monogrammos.  An  example  of  this 
stone  occurs  in  a  gem  in  the  Blacas  Collection.  It  repre- 
sents a  young  Faun  standing  and  lifting  his  cup  on  high. 

Cylinders  of  the  Assyro-Babylonian  or  later  Babylonian 
period  often  occur  in  sapphirine.  It  was  also  a  favourite 
stone  for  Assyrian  conical  stamps.  The  most  beautiful 
Persian  cylinder  known  is  in  sapphirine.  Some  fine  examples 
of  Greek  workmanship  appear  in  this  stone.  A  beautiful 
Greek  intaglio  on  a  large  stone  of  this  sort  is  in  the  British 
Museum ;  the  subject  is  a  Victory  crowning  a  trophy. 
Roman  intagli  in  sapphirine  are  also  frequently  met  with. 


Medusa  of  Solon.  Dionysiac  Bull  of  Hyllus. 

Babylonian  cylinders  are  frequently  made  of  grey  chal- 
cedony, and  it  is  the  material  almost  exclusively  used  for 


108  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


the  large  conical  seals  of  the  Sassanians.  Scarabaei  of 
Etruscan  work,  as  well  as  Greek  and  Roman  intagli,  fre- 
quently occur  in  this  material.  The  Dionysiac  Bull  of 
Hyllus  (Paris)  and  the  Medusa  of  Solon  (Blacas)  are  in 
grey  chalcedony. 

Busts  and  heads  in  full  and  in  bas-relief,  and  of  con- 
siderable size,  were  executed  by  the  Romans  in  chalcedony. 
Under  the  Empire  these  carvings  constituted  the  phalerse 
so  often  mentioned  as  military  distinctions  on  armour. 

Many  modern  intagli  occur  in  white  chalcedony  or  car- 
nelian,  but  it  was  a  stone  never  employed  in  ancient  times. 

ACHATES. — SICILIAN  AGATE. 

Theophrastus,  in  his  work  on  stones,  says,  "Achates  is 
a  beautiful  stone ;  it  has  its  name  from  the  river  Achates 
(the  Drillo),  in  Sicily,  and  is  sold  at  a  great  price."  Pliny 
writes,  "  Achates  was  a  stone  formerly  held  in  high 
esteem,  but  now  held  in  none.  It  was  first  found  in  Sicily, 
near*  a  river  of  that  name,  but  has  since  been  discovered  in 
numerous  other  localities.  In  size  it  exceeds  any  other 
stones  of  this  class,  and  the  varieties  of  it  are  numerous, 
the  name  varying  accordingly.  Thus,  for  example,  we 
have  iaspachates,  cerachates,  smaragdachates,  hasmachates, 
leuchachates,  dendracates  (marked  with  small  shrubs),  auta- 
chates,  and  corralloachates,  spotted  all  over  with  drops 
of  gold,  and  commonly  found  in  Crete,  where  it  is  also 
known  as  '  sacred '  achates."  He  mentions  also  a  property 
of  the  Sicilian  stones  as  being  good  for  wounds  inflicted  by 
spiders  and  scorpions.  "  The  stones  that  are  found  in 
India,"  he  continues,  "  are  possessed  of  similar  properties, 
and  of  other  great  and  marvellous  properties  as  well ;  for 
they  present  the  appearance  in  them  of  rivers,  woods, 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  109 


beasts  of  burden,  and  forms  even  like  ivy  and  the  trappings 
of  horses." 

Theophrastus  and  Pliny  in  their  description  of  achates 
seem  to  speak  only  of  that  kind  of  agate  which  resembles 
the  Sicilian,  which  never  exhibits  stratification  or  zones. 
It  always  occurs  in  patches  of  yellow  and  white,  brown 
and  white,  red  and  white,  &c.,  intermingled.  Sicily  at  the 
present  day  continues  to  supply  an  abundance  of  agates  and 
jaspers  of  beautiful  varieties,  with  which  some  of  the 
churches  in  Sicily  are  profusely  ornamented. 

The  stratified  stones  with  zones  of  colour,  which  come 
from  India  and  Brazil,  and  to  which  at  the  present  day  the 
term  of  agate  is  applied,  were  evidently  the  onyx  of  the 
ancients. 

This  distinction  is  confirmed  by  De  Boot  (1195),  who 
says,  "  Next  in  appearance  and  in  colour  to  the  onyx  is  the 
agate.  The  onyx  is  adorned  with  zones  of  colour,  the  agate 
is  not.  For,  instead  of  zones,  it  is  ornamented  by  nature 
in  a  wonderful  manner,  with  lines  or  spots  of  various 
colours,  which  exhibit  images  of  different  objects  ;  some, 
for  instance,  represent,  far  from  obscurely,  trees,  animals, 
fruits,  flowers,  clouds,"  &c. 

Pliny's  cerachates,  sardachates,  haemachates,  smaragda- 
chates,  are  thus  evidently  only  the  different  varieties  of  the 
Sicilian  agate,  and  those  from  India  and  other  countries 
resembling  them,  in  patches  or  spots  of  yellow  and  white, 
brown  and  white,  red  and  white,  green  and  white,  &c. 

The  smaragdachates  may  be  identified  with  the  beautiful 
green  agate  from  India  (Cambay). 

The  dendrachates,  marked  with  small  shrubs,  of  which 
Pliny  mentions  such  numerous  varieties  in  India,  were 
doubtless  the  moss  agate,  or  that  generally  termed  mocha 
stone.  It  is  chiefly  brought  from  Arabia.  "  Variegated 


110  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


stones  with  landscapes,  trees  and  water,  beautifully  deline- 
ated, are  still  found  in  India  at  Cubberpunj  (the  five  tombs) 
a  place  sixty  miles  distant  from  Rajpipla  in  Gruzerat.3 

The  coralloachates  appears  to  have  been  a  variety  peculiar 
to  Crete,  but  is  now  unknown  to  us. 

ASTROBOLOS. — CAT'S  EYE. 

"  Sudines  says,"  Pliny  writes,  "  that  astrobolos  resembles 
the  eye  of  a  fish  in  appearance,  and  that  it  has  a  radiant 
white  refulgence  when  viewed  in  the  suu.'r  This  is  not 
improbably  the  cat's  eye,  a  translucent  variety  of  Chalce- 
donic  quartz,  which  displays  a  peculiar  floating  white 
streak  of  light  when  cut  en  cabochon. 

Amongst  the  Marlborough  gems  is  a  monster  cat's  eye, 
If  inch  high,  carved  into  a  lion's  head.  It  belongs  to  the 
Cinque-cento  period. 

JASPER. 

Red  and  yellow  jasper,  in  which  Roman  intagli  abound, 
appears  to  have  come  into  use  after  Pliny's  date,  as  he  no- 
where mentions  any  stones  which  can  be  identified  with 


Pallas  of  Aspasius. 

them.     Engravings  on  these  stones  belong  to  the  times  of 
the  Middle  Empire  and  the  decline. 

3  Forbes's  "  Oriental  Memoirs,"  vol.  ii.  p.  20. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  Ill 


A  fine  homogeneous  red  jasper,  Mr.  Maskelyne  tells  us,  of 
a  vermilion  colour,  that  is  found  in  a  breccia  in  India,  and 
also  in  Egypt,  was  often  used  for  Roman  gems  in  the  later 
times  of  the  Empire.  The  most  celebrated  work  in  red 
jasper  is  the  elaborately  helmeted,  but  noble  head  of  Mi- 
nerva, at  Vienna,  signed  AC  PI  AC  I OY. 

In  the  Marlborough  collection  is  a  head  of  Vespasian,  in 
red  jasper,  probably  a  contemporary  work,  and  a  very  early 
example  of  this  material.  Red  jasper  often  carries  imperial 
portraits  of  the  time  of  Hadrian,  and  more  particularly  of 
his  Antonine  successors,  with  the  characteristics  of  the  work 
of  those  times. 

Red  jasper  is  still  found  in  Sicily,  but  it  does  not  take  a 
good  polish,  and  is  spotty  in  colour,  and  full  of  veins. 

The  bright  vermilion  jasper,  in  which  many  Roman 
intagli  frequently  occur,  was  perhaps  the  corallis  of  Pliny, 
which  he  describes  as  a  native  of  India  and  Syene,  and 
resembling  minium  in  appearance. 

Some  writers  connect  the  haematites  of  Pliny's  alpha- 
betical list,  which  he  describes  as  a  stone  of  a  blood-red 
colour,  and  which  comes  of  the  very  finest  quality  from 
^Ethiopia  and  also  from  Arabia  and  Africa,  with  red  jasper. 

Roman  and  Gnostic  engravings  of  a  late  date,  and  of 
inferior  work,  frequently  occur  in  yellow  jasper.  It  appears, 
however,  that  this  stone  was  used  at  an  early  period  in 
Egypt.  In  the  British  Museum  is  a  small  seal  tablet,  of 
beautiful  yellow  jasper,  carrying  on  one  side  a  hollow 
backed  horse  ;  on  the  obverse  is  a  bull  standing  at  rest, 
with  the  cartouche  of  Amenophis  II.  (1450  B.C.). 

Black  jasper,  an  extremely  fine,  close-grained  substance, 
and  perfectly  opaque,  Mr.  King  tells  us,  has  been  employed 
by  the  Greeks,  as  the  material  for  some  of  their  finest  in- 
tagli ;  for  example,  the  fragment  of  the  head  of  the  dying 


112  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


Medusa  (Praun  collection).  A  seated  sphinx,  a  Greek 
work,  in  this  stone  is  also  noticed. 

No  description  of  a  gem  answering  to  this  stone  is  to  be 
seen  in  Pliny's  list. 

Inferior,  or  Lower  Empire,  work  never  occurs  in  this 
material. 

MOLOCHITES. — GREEN  JASPER. 

"  Molochites,"  Pliny  says,  "is  not  transparent,  being  of  a 
deeper  green  and  more  opaque  than  smaragdus  ;  its  name 
is  derived  from  the  mallow  (/x,oAoxr/),  which  it  resembles  in 
colour.  It  is  highly  esteemed  for  making  seals.  This  stone 
is  a  native  of  Arabia."  This  is  undoubtedly  our  green 
jasper.  The  stone  which  Pliny  terms  sphragis,  from  the 
circumstance  of  its  being  the  best  of  all  for  making  signets, 
is  evidently  the  same  stone. 

The  green  jasper,  which  was  much  used  in  antiquity  for 
the  earliest  Assyrian  cylinders  and  for  the  latest  Gnostic 
amulets,  is  a  mixture  of  the  green  mineral  chlorite  with 
chalcedony. 

Phosnician  scarabaei  are  usually  made  of  a  dark  green 
chlorite  jasper.  The  scarabs  found  in  the  cemeteries  of 
Tharros,  in  the  island  of  Sardinia,  are  also  of  a  dark  green 
jasper,  and  are  undoubtedly  Phosnician. 

No  gem  of  Greek  type  is  known  in  green  jasper.  Some 
Roman  intagli  are,  however,  met  with  in  this  stone.  Mr. 
King  notices  two,  one  of  a  racer  bearing  off  the  palm  of 
victory,  his  name  "  Tiberis  "  inscribed  over  him,  in  his  own 
collection ;  and  another  with  the  conjoined  heads  of  Diocle- 
tian and  Maximian  in  the  character  of  Janus,  in  the  late 
Praun  collection. 

Sassanian  seals  frequently  occur  of  the  same  material. 

A  dark  green,  opaque,  close-grained  jasper,  occasionally 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  113 


clouded  with  red,  was  in  great  request  with  Egyptian  en- 
gravers for  religious  intagli,  from  the  epoch  of  the  Pharaohs 
down  to  the  Arabian  conquest.  The  Basilidan  talismans 
affect  this  material  above  all  others. 

In  the  Maryborough  collection  is  an  opaque,  pale  green 
jasper  (only  found  in  India  now),  bearing  in  intaglio  the 
profile  portrait  of  Cleopatra  with  the  head  attire,  the  sacred 
Vulture,  and  other  ornaments  of  an  Egyptian  queen. 

A  dull,  pale  green  variety  of  jasper  is  used  at  the  present 
in  Persia  for  seals. 

The  Prasius,  described  by  Pliny,  with  three  streaks  of 
white,  is,  according  to  Mr.  Maskelyne,  a  white-veined  green 
jasper,  found  in  India. 

HELIOTROPIUM. — BLOODSTONE. 

"  Heliotropium,"  Pliny  writes,  "  is  found  in  ^Ethiopia, 
Africa,  and  Cyprus.  It  is  of  a  leek-green  colour,  streaked 
with  blood-red  veins.  It  has  been  thus  named  (from  rJAios, 
the  sun,  and  rpeVw,  to  turn)  from  the  circumstance  that,  if 
placed  in  a  vessel  of  water,  and  exposed  to  the  full  light 
of  the  sun,  it  changes  to  a  reflected  colour  like  that  of 
blood."  This  stone  is  undoubtedly  the  modern  bloodstone, 
an  opaque  green  jasper,  with  red  streaks.  Antique  intagli, 
in  this  stone,  are  rarely  to  be  met  with.  It  occurs,  however, 
not  unfrequently  amongst  the  talismans  of  the  later 
Egyptian  and  Gnostic  times. 

It  was  held  in  great  favour  in  the  Byzantine  period,  and 
by  the  artists  of  the  Revival,  from  an  old  tradition  that  it 
owed  its  origin  to  the  stones  lying  under  the  Cross,  on 
Calvary,  stained  by  the  droppings  of  the  Saviour's  blood. 

Vasari  mentions  a  work  by  Matteo  del  Nassaro,  in  this 
stone,  representing  the  Descent  from  the  Cross,  in  which 

I 


114  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


the  sanguine   spots    exactly  depicted    the   blood   trickling 
from  the  wounds  of  the  Saviour. 

Bloodstone  is  at  the  present  day  much  used  for  seals.  In 
Italian  catalogues  of  gems  it  is  styled  jaspro  sanguineo. 

SMARAGDTJS  MEDICUS. — MALACHITE. 

The  smaragdus  medicus,  which  Pliny  describes,  as  found 
of  greater  dimensions  than  any  other  sort  of  smaragdus,  of  a 
wavy  pattern,  and  sometimes  resembling  sapphirus  (lapis 
lazuli),  is,  in  the  opinion  of  most  writers,  our  malachite,  a 
green  carbonate  of  copper,  and  the  substance  resembling 
sapphirus,  azurite,  a  blue  carbonate  of  copper  frequently 
associated  with  it. 

It  was  sometimes,  but  very  rarely,  used  by  the  ancients  for 
camei.  The  Pulsky  Collection  affords  an  example  of  a 
cameo  in  malachite,  representing  the  bust  of  a  Bacchante. 
It  belongs  to  the  best  period  of  Roman  art. 

HEMATITES. — HEMATITE. 

"  Haematites,"  according  to  Pliny,  "  of  the  very  finest 
quality,  comes  from  ^Ethiopia,  but  it  is  found  in  Arabia 
and  Africa  as  well.  It  is  a  stone  of  a  blood-red  colour." 
Theophrastus  also  describes  it  as  "  of  a  dense,  solid  texture, 
dry,  or,  according  to  its  name,  seeming  as  if  formed  of 
concrete  blood."  The  name  haematites  is  derived  from 
at/xa,  blood.  This  stone  is  identified  with  hematite,  or  red 
iron-stone.  It  has  been  often  used  for  scarabasi  and  intagli 
by  the  Egyptians,  and  for  cylinders  by  the  Assyrians. 

MAGNES.— MAGNETITE. 

Sotacus,  according  to  Pliny,  describes  five  different 
kinds  of  magnes,  all,  no  doubt,  varieties  of  oxide  of  iron. 
The  Ethiopian,  the  best,  and  sold  for  its  weight  in  silver; 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  115 


that  of  Magnesia,  bordering  on  Macedonia;  a  third  from 
Hyettusin  Boeotia;  a  fourth  from  Alexandria  in  Troas;  and 
a,  fifth,  from  Magnesia  in  Asia.  Those  of  Magnesia,  bor- 
dering on  Macedonia,  are  of  a  reddish  black;  those  of  Boeotia 
are  more  red  than  black.  The  kind  found  in  Troas  is 
black.  Pliny,  on  the  authority  of  Nicander,  states  that  the 
magnet  took  its  name  from  the  herdsman  who  first  disco- 
vered it  in  Mount  Ida,  by  its  attracting  the  nails  in  his 
soles,  and  the  ferule  of  his  staff  as  he  walked  over  the  bed. 
The  magnetite  used  by  the  ancients  for  engraving  on  is 
generally  of  a  metallic,  steely  lustre.  Its  Greek  name  was 
'Hpa/cAeca  Ai'0os,  the  Heraclean  stone.  It  is  the  favourite 
material  for  Babylonian  cylinders  of  the  Archaic  and  later 
periods.  It  was  also  much  in  use  in  Egypt,  and  in  Persia, 
for  Cuphic  signets.  It  was  rarely  used  by  the  Romans,  and 
that  at  a  very  late  period:  a  tolerable  intaglio  in  hematite, 
with  a  bust  of  Abundantia,  is  noticed  in  the  Marlborough 
Collection.  Rude  intagli,  with  Gnostic  subjects,  used  as 
amulets,  have  been  largely  manufactured  in  this  stone. 
There  is  said  to  be  a  curious  specimen  of  a  small  magnetite 
in  the  Collegio  Romano,  Rome,  encircled  with  hieroglyphics, 
and  which  is  said  to  present  an  unexhausted  and  still 
energetic  action  at  its  opposite  poles. 

OBSIDIANUM. — OBSIDIAN. 

"  Among  the  various  kinds  of  glass,"  Pliny  writes,  "  we 
may  also  reckon  Obsian  glass,  a  substance  very  similar  to 
the  stone  which  Obsias  discovered  in  Ethiopia.  This  stone 
is  of  a  very  dark  colour,  and  sometimes  transparent,  but  ii 
is  dull  to  the  sight,  and  reflects,  when  attached  as  a  mirroi 
to  walls,  the  shadow  of  the  object  rather  than  the  image. 
Many  persons  make  signet  stones  out  of  it."  Pliny  men- 
tions further  on  that  "  gems  were  tested  with  the  dust  of 

i  2 


116  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


Obsian  stone  (Obsidian),  as  it  will  not  leave  a  mark  upon 
the  surface  of  a  genuine  stone." 

This  Obsian  stone,  which  Pliny  says,  resembles  glass, 
is  obsidian,  a  volcanic  glass,  produced  by  the  fusion  of 
felspathic  rocks,  or  those  containing  or  composed  of  alkaline 
silicates.  In  consequence  of  its  reflecting  properties,  the 
ancient  Romans  and  the  Corinthians  frequently  made  it  into 
mirrors,  and  sometimes  the  walls  of  their  apartments  were 
ornamented  with  sheets  of  it  for  looking-glasses.  The 
Mexicans  also  used  it  for  mirrors,  knife-blades,  and  points 
of  arrows  and  lances.  In  Pliny's  time  it  was  largely 
imitated  in  glass,  and  employed  as  a  material  for  plates  and 
dishes. 

Antique  intagli,  in  obsidian,  are  extremely  rare.  Mr. 
King  mentions  one  in  the  Praun  Collection,  a  cock  chimasra 
on  a  large  obsidian,  with  a  Gnostic  design  on  the  reverse. 

Herodotus  describes  the  Ethiopian  contingent  in  the  host 
of  Xerxes,  as  equipped  with  reed  arrows  tipped  with  a 
stone,  sharpened  to  a  point,  with  which  they  engrave 
seals.  This  stone  was  evidently  obsidian,  with  the  sharp 
splinters  of  which  the  Egyptians  doubtless  carved  their 
scarabsei  of  limestone,  steaschist,  and  other  soft  materials. 
At  the  present  day,  flakes  of  obsidian  are  frequently  found 
in  several  parts  of  Greece,  evidently  used  in  primitive 
times  for  arrow-heads.* 

GAGATES. — JET. 

"  Gagates,"  Pliny  writes,  "  is  a  stone,  so  called  from 
Gages,  the  name  of  a  town  and  river  in  Lycia.  It  is 

4  In  the  possession  of  the  author  are  several  of  these  flakes  of  ob- 
sidian, from  Marathon,  Tanagra,  and  Aphidua,  and  some  cores  of  the 
same  stone,  from  Salagora,  near  Arta,  kindly  presented  by  Mr.  Fin- 
lay.  Obsidian  is  found  in  the  island  of  Melos. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  117 


asserted,  too,  that  at  Leucolla  the  sea  throws  it  up,  and 
that  it  is  found  over  a  space  twelve  stadia  in  extent.  It 
is  black,  smooth,  light,  and  porous,  differs  but  little  from 
wood  in  appearance,  is  of  a  brittle  texture,  and  emits  a  dis- 
agreeable smell  when  rubbed."  This  is  an  exact  descrip- 
tion of  the  well-known  substance  jet,  which  is  a  variety 
of  lignite  of  a  velvet  black  and  emits  when  burnt  a  very 
strong  bituminous  smell.  At  the  present  day,  it  is  found 
in  the  amber  mines  on  the  coast  of  the  Baltic,  where  it 
is  known  by  the  name  of  black  amber,  and  in  alum  shale, 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Whitby,  Yorkshire. 

"Jet  was,"  Mr.  King  says,  "turned  by  the  lathe  into  orna- 
ments by  the  Britons,  perhaps  even  before  the  Romans 
subjugated  this  island,  since  large  rings  worked  out  of  solid 
pieces,  for  bracelets  and  anklets,  are  often  discovered 
amongst  other  British  remains.  The  round  disks,  cut  out 
from  the  centre  of  these  rings,  the  refuse  of  the  turner, 
often  found  in  heaps  together  in  Dorsetshire,  long  puzzled 
antiquaries,  who  agreed  to  call  them  'Kimmeridge  Coal 
Money,'  and  to  regard  them  as  a  primitive  currency.  Their 
true  origin  has  been  but  lately  ascertained." 

Intagli  in  jet,  sold  as  antique  or  mediaeval,  are  said  to  be 
all  recent  forgeries,  as  the  ancients  never  used  that  material 
for  engraving  on. 

SUCCINUM. — AMBER. 

"  Next  in  rank  after  murrhina  and  crystal,"  Pliny  writes, 
"among  the  objects  of  luxury,  we  have  amber  (succinum), 
an  article  which,  for  the  present,  however,  is  in  request 
among  women  only. 

"There  can  be  no  doubt,"  he  continues,  "that  amber  is 
a  product  of  the  islands  of  the  Northern  Ocean,  and  that  it 
is  the  substance  by  the  Germans  called  glcesum.  Amber 


118  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


is  produced  from  a  marrow  discharged  by  trees  belonging 
to  the  pine  genus,  like  a  gum  from  the  cherry,  and  resin 
from  the  ordinary  pine.  It  is  a  liquid  at  first,  which  issues 
forth  in  considerable  quantities,  and  is  gradually  hardened 
by  heat  or  cold,  or  else  by  the  action  of  the  sea,  when  the 
rise  of  the  tide  carries  off  the  fragments  from  the  shores  of 
these  islands.  At  all  events,  it  is  thrown  up  upon  the 
coasts  in  so  light  a  form  that  in  the  shallows  it  has  all  the 
appearance  of  hanging  suspended  in  the  water.  Our  fore- 
fathers, too,  were  of  opinion  that  it  is  the  juice  of  a  tree, 
and  for  this  reason  gave  it  the  name  of  succinurn,  and  one 
great  proof  that  it  is  the  produce  of  a  tree  of  the  pine  genus 
is  the  fact  that  it  emits  a  pine-like  smell  when  rubbed,  and 
that  it  burns,  when  ignited,  with  the  odour  and  appearance 
of  torch-pine  wood." 

"  Amber  is  imported  by  the  Germans  into  Pannonia, 
more  particularly,  from  whence  the  Veneti,  by  the  Greeks 
called  Eneti,  first  brought  it  into  general  notice,  a  people  in 
the  vicinity  of  Pannonia,  and  dwelling  on  the  shores  of  the 
Adriatic  Sea.  From  this  it  is  evident  how  the  story  which 
connects  it  with  the  Padus  first  originated,  that  after 
Phaeton  had  been  struck  by  lightning,  his  sisters  became 
changed  into  poplars,  which  every  year  shed  their  tears 
upon  the  banks  of  the  Eridanus,  a  river  known  to  us  as 
the  '  Padus.'  To  these  tears  was  given  the  name  of  *  elec- 
trum.' 

"  One  great  proof  that  amber  must  have  been  originally 
in  a  liquid  state,  is  the  fact  that,  owing  to  its  transparency, 
certain  objects  are  be  seen  within — ants,  for  example,  gnats 
and  lizards.  These,  no  doubt,  must  have  adhered  to  it 
when  liquid,  and  then,  upon  its  hardening,  have  remained 
enclosed  within." 

**  There  are  several  kinds  of  amber,"  Pliny  writes  further. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  119 

"  The  white  is  the  one  that  has  the  finest  odour;  but  neither 
this  nor  the  wax-coloured  amber  is  held  in  very  high 
esteem.  The  red  amber  is  more  highly  valued  ;  and  still 
more  so,  when  it  is  transparent,  without  presenting  too 
brilliant  and  igneous  an  appearance.  For  amber,  to  be  of 
high  quality,  should  present  a  brightness  like  that  of  fire, 
but  not  flakes  resembling  those  of  flame.  The  most  highly- 
esteemed  amber  is  that  known  as  the  Falernian,  from  its 
resemblance  to  the  colour  of  Falernian  wine  ;  it  is  perfectly 
transparent,  and  has  a  softened,  transparent  brightness. 
Other  kinds,  again,  are  valued  for  the  mellowed  tints,  like 
the  colour  of  boiled  honey  in  appearance.  When  a  vivifying 
heat  has  been  imparted  to  it  by  rubbing  it  between  the 
fingers,  amber  will  attract  chaff,  dried  leaves,  and  thin  bark, 
just  in  the  same  way  that  the  magnet  attracts  iron." 

Amber  even  at  the  present  day  is  still  found  on  the  coasts 
of  the  Northern  Sea,  the  Baltic  ;  and  Pliny  is  evidently 
right  in  his  conjecture  that  amber  is  produced  from  trees 
belonging  to  the  pine  genus,  as,  according  to  Professor 
Goppert,  it  is  the  viscous  resin  of  a  fir  named  by  him 
pinitis  succinifer. 

Amber  claims  the  highest  antiquity  in  the  list  of  sub- 
stances used  for  personal  ornament.  It  was  much  prized 
by  the  ancient  Etruscans,5  and  was  frequently  introduced 
into  their  jewellery.  In  the  possession  of  the  author  is  an 
Etruscan  ring  with  a  piece  of  amber  set  in  it.  Scarabaei 
also  frequently  occur  in  this  substance. 

It  was  known  to  the  early  Greeks.     A  gold  necklace 

5  There  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  very  active  commerce  of  the 
Etruscans  with  northern  Europe.  The  object  of  their  quest  was  amber, 
as  is  established  by  the  much  more  frequent  occurrence  of  objects  of 
Etruscan  manufacture  in  the  extreme  north  of  Prussia  than  in  any 
intermediate  district. 


120'  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


hung  with  bits  of  amber  (/xera  8'  ^Ae'/a-poio-u/  cepro,  Odyss.  xv. 
460)  is  mentioned  in  Homer.  Its  Greek  name  was  r/Ac/or/aov, 
but  Pliny  tells  us  that  Demostratus  called  amber  '  lyncu- 
rion,'  who  attributed  its  origin  to  the  urine  of  the  wild 
beast  known  as  the  lynx. 

It  maintained  a  high  value  among  the  Romans,  particu- 
larly at  the  time  of  Nero,  and  was  largely  used  for  orna- 
mental and  decorative  purposes.  Pliny  tells  us  that  the 
nets  which  were  used  for  protecting  the  podium  of  the 
amphitheatre  against  wild  beasts  were  studded  with  amber 
by  Julianus,  the  manager  of  the  gladiatorial  exhibitions, 
for  the  Emperor  Nero." 6  All  the  weapons  and  articles 
used  during  the  games  of  the  amphitheatre  were  also  made 
of  amber.  The  largest  piece  of  amber  that  Julianus  brought 
to  Rome  was  thirteen  pounds  in  weight. 

Mr.  King  mentions  as  the  most  precious  example  extant 
of  Roman  carving  in  this  substance,  a  ring  in  the  Waterton 
Collection,  formed  into  an  elegant  design  with  Cupids  in 
full  relief  upon  the  shoulders,  cut  out  of  a  single  piece. 

A  most  interesting  specimen  of  carved  amber  is  in  the 
British  Museum;  it  was  formerly  in  the  Pour  tales  Collec- 
tion. The  subject  represents  a  bearded  figure,  whose  legs 
appear  to  terminate  in  a  serpent,  embracing  a  draped  female 
figure.  This  group  measures  6|  in.  by  3J  in.,  and  is, 
probably,  the  largest  extant  specimen  of  amber  sculptured 
by  the  ancients.  Small  figures  carved  in  this  material  in  a 
very  Archaic  style  have  been  found  in  Etruria. 

Amber  has  been  occasionally  found  in  tumuli  in  England. 
Perhaps  the  finest  example  of  amber  discovered  in  this 
country  is  the  cup  which  some  years  ago  was  found  at  Hove, 
near  Brighton,  and  is  now  exhibited  with  associated  stone 

6  In  the  possession  of  the  author  is  one  of  these  amber  studs. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  •  121 


and  bronze  implements  in  the  Brighton  Museum.  Amber 
has  been  found  in  some  of  the  tumuli  explored  by  Mr.  C. 
Spence  Bates,  in  Dartmoor. 

CORALLIUM. — CORAL. 

According  to  Theophrastus,  "  KovpaAAiov  (coral)  is  a  stone 
red  in  colour,  and  its  shape  cylindrical,  in  some  sort  re- 
sembling a  root.  It  grows  in  the  sea."  Pliny  writes:  "In 
the  same  degree  that  people  in  our  part  of  the  world  set  a 
value  upon  the  pearls  of  India,  do  the  people  of  India 
prize  coral.  Coral  is  produced  in  the  Red  Sea  also,  but 
of  a  darker  hue  than  ours.  It  is  to  be  found  also  in  the 
Persian  Gulf,  where  it  is  known  by  the  name  of  'iace.7 
But  the  most  highly  esteemed  of  all  is  that  produced  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  islands  called  Staechades  (the  Hyeres),  in  the 
Gallic  Gulf,  and  near  the  -ZEolian  Islands  and  the  town  of 
Drepana  (Trapani),  in  the  Sea  of  Sicily.  Coral  is  to  be 
found  growing,  too,  at  Graviscaa,  and  off  the  coast  of 
Neapolis,  in  Campania,  as  also  at  Erythras,  where  it  is 
intensely  red,  but' soft,  and  consequently  little  valued." 

"  Its  form  is  that  of  a  shrub,  and  its  colour  green,  its 
berries  are  white  and  soft  while  under  water,  but  the 
moment  they  are  removed  from  it  they  become  hard  and 
red,  resembling  the  berries  of  cultivated  cornel  in  size  and 
appearance.  They  say  that,  while  alive,  if  it  is  only  touched 
by  a  person,  it  will  immediately  become  as  hard  as  stone, 
and  hence  it  is  that  the  greatest  pains  are  taken  to  prevent 
this  by  tearing  it  up  from  the  bottom  with  nets,  or  else 
cutting  it  short  with  a  sharp-edged  instrument  of  iron,  from 
which  last  circumstance  it  is  generally  supposed  to  have 
received  its  name _ofSBuraliiim, *  (from  Kovpa*  shearing).  The 
reddest  coral  and  the  most  branchy  is  held  in  the  highest 
esteem,  but,  at  the  same  time,  it  must  not  be  rough  or 


122  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


hard  like  stone,  nor  yet,  on  the  other  hand,  should  it  be 
full  of  holes  or  hollow." 

The  Romans  seem  to  have  employed  coral  merely  as  an 
amulet  and  in  medicine,  for  Pliny  tells  us,  bunches  of 
corals,  hung  at  the  necks  of  infants,  are  thought  to  act  as  a 
preservative  against  danger;  calcined  and  pulverized,  and 
taken  in  water,  it  gives  relief  to  patients  suffering  from 
griping  pains  and  affections  of  the  bladder. 

At  the  present  day  pointed  pieces  of  coral  are  worn 
hung  round  the  neck  at  Naples,  as  amulets  against  the 
malignant  influence  of  the  evil  eye  (malocchio). 

It  has  been  said  that  coral  was  never  used  by  the  ancients 
for  glyptic  purposes,  either  in  relief  or  intaglio.  An  antique 
carved  head  of  Jupiter  in  coral  was  lately  in  the  possession 
of  Mr.  Phillips,  in  Cockspur  Street.  From  its  character 
and  pattern  it  is  said  to  be  undoubtedly  Greek  of  the  best 
period.  It  was  found  in  Greece  by  the  Duke  of  St.  Albans. 
An  intaglio  in  this  material  is  in  Mr.  Maskelyne's  Collection, 

The  gorgonia  (gorgon  stone),  mentioned  by  Pliny,  was 
another  name  for  coral. 

MARGARITA. — PEARL. 

Theophrastus  gives  but  a  brief  notice  of  the  pearl.  He 
writes:  "  To  the  number  of  gems  held  in  esteem  belongs  that 
called  the  margarita,  not  transparent  in  its  nature.  Neck- 
laces of  great  value  are  made  out  of  it.  It  is  produced  in  a 
kind  of  oyster,  and  in  like  manner,  in  the  pinna.  It  is 
found  in  India,  and  on  the  shores  of  certain  islands  in  the 
Red  Sea." 

Athenseus  and  Chares  of  Mytilene,  give  admirable  accounts 
of  the  natural  history  of  the  pearl  oyster  as  known  to  the 
ancients,  but  the  fullest  details,  as  to  both  fish  and  fishery, 
are  to  be  found  in  the  description  of  Parthia  by  Isidorus 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  123 


of  Charace.  Pliny  seems  to  have  followed  these  authorities 
in  his  account  of  the  pearl. 

According  to  these  writers  the  pearl-bearing  oyster  was 
found  in  ancient  times  in  the  Indian  Sea,  on  the  coasts  of 
Armenia,  Persia,  Susiana,  Babylonia,  and  Taprobane^ 
(Ceylon),  which  was  then,  as  until  lately,  the  seat  of  the 
most  productive  fishery. 

The  Red  Sea  pearls  were  the  most  transparent;  the 
Indian,  though  superior  in  magnitude  to  all  the  others,  had 
something  of  the  opaque  lustre  of  talc.  Those  of  the 
best  quality  were  distinguished  by  the  title  exaluminatce, 
i.  e.  clear  as  a  globule  of  alum.  When  larger  than  ordi- 
nary, the  name  unio  (unique)  was  given  them ;  when  pear- 
shaped  they  were  termed  elenchi. 

The  pearl  was  in  great  esteem  among  the  ancients.  It 
seems  to  have  been  known  from  the  earliest  times  to  the 
Asiatic  Greeks.  In  Pliny's  time  the  pearls  of  India  and 
Arabia  were  held  next  in  esteem  to  the  adamas,  taking  the 
precedence  of  the  emerald  and  the  ruby. 

It  was  the  Asiatic  conquests  of  Pompey,  Pliny  tells  us, 
that  first  turned  the  taste  of  the  Romans  towards  pearls 
and  precious  stones.  In  his  triumphal  procession  were 
carried  thirty-three  crowns  made  out  of  pearls,  a  temple  of 
the  Muses  supporting  a  sun-dial,  a  portrait  (bust)  of  the 
victor  himself,  formed  out  of  the  same  precious  units. 
Caligula  wore  slippers  made  out  of  pearls,  and  Nero  had 
sceptres  for  the  actors  in  his  theatre  wrought  out  of  them. 
Pliny  mentions  having  seen  Lollia  Paulina,  the  widow  of 
Caligula,  completely  covered  over  with  strings  of  alternate 
pearls  and  emeralds  to  the  value  of  400,000/.  of  our  money. 

Pliny's  story  is  well  known  about  the  extravagance  of 
Cleopatra,  who,  to  outdo  Antony,  threw  one  of  the  two 
finest  pearls  in  the  world  into  a  cup  of  vinegar,  and  when 


124  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


dissolved  drank  it  off.  "It  is  unfortunate  for  this  good 
story,"  Mr.  King  remarks,  "  that  no  acid  the  human  stomach 
can  endure  is  capable  of  dissolving  a  pearl,  even  after  long 
maceration  in  it."  The  largest  pearl  known  to  Pliny  weighed 
half  a  Roman  ounce  and  one  scruple  over  (234^  grains 
troy). 

The  word  margarita  is  said  to  be  the  Greek  form  of  the 
Sanscrit  maracata,  or  the  Persian  merwerid. 

MURRHINA. — FLUOR  SPAR. 

In  Pliny's  notice  of  murrhina,  he  first  gives  an  account  of 
the  introduction  of  this  material,  and  of  vases  made  of  it 
into  Rome.  "  Pompey,"  he  writes,  "  was  the  first  who 
introduced  murrhina  at  Rome;  he  being  the  first  to  dedicate, 
on  the  conclusion  of  his  triumph,  on  his  conquest  of  Mithri- 
dates,  blocks  (lapides)  and  cups  of  this  material,  in  the 
temple  of  Jupiter  Capitolinus,  a  circumstance  which  soon 
brought  them  into  private  use ;  small  dishes  even,  and 
eating  utensils  made  of  murrhina,  being  in  great  request. 
This  species  of  luxury,  too,  is  daily  on  the  increase;  a 
simple  cup,  which  would  hold  no  more  than  three  sextarii, 
has  been  purchased  at  the  price  of  70,000  sesterces. 
J.  Petronius,  a  personage  of  consular  rank,  intending,  from 
his  hatred  of  Nero,  to  disinherit  the  table  of  that  prince, 
broke  a  murrhine  basin,  which  had  cost  him  no  less  than 
300,000  sesterces.  But  Nero  himself,  as  it  was  only  proper 
for  a  prince  to  do,  surpassed  them  all  by  paying  1,000,000 
sesterces  for  a  single  cup,  a  fact  well  worthy  of  remem- 
brance," Pliny  adds,  "  that  an  emperor,  the  father  of  his 
country,  should  have  drunk  from  a  vessel  of  such  costly 
price." 

He  then  describes  the  material  itself,  of  which  these 
costly  vases  and  cups  were  made  :  "  The  East  sends   us 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  125 


murrhina  (the  pieces  in  the  rough).  They  are  found  in 
several  places,  all  little  known,  within  the  Parthian  do- 
minions, principally,  however,  in  Carmania.  They  are 
supposed  to  be  formed  of  a  moist  substance  solidified  by 
subterraneous  hear.  In  superficial  extent,  they  never  exceed 
that  required  for  small  dishes  (abaci).  In  thickness  they 
are  rarely  large  enough  for  a  drinking  cup,  as  those 
already  mentioned.  The  polish  they  take  is  without 
strength,  being  rather  a  gloss  or  lustre  than  a  brilliant 
polish.  But  their  value  lies  in  the  variety  of  their  colours 
— the  veins  or  strata  winding  around  here  and  there,  pre- 
senting hues  of  purple  and  white,  and  a  third  colour  made 
up  of  both,  which  assumes  a  fiery  tint,  as  if  by  the  passage 
of  the  colour  through  the  purple,  or  that  the  milky-white 
colour  assumes  a  ruddy  glow.  Some  especially  admire  in 
them  the  ends  or  boundaries  of  the  colours,7  and  a  certain 
play  of  colours,  such  as  is  seen  in  the  rainbow.  To  others 
the  opaque  spots  or  strata  are  more  agreeable,  any  trans- 
parency or  paleness  in  them  is  considered  a  defect. 
Murrhina  exhibit  also  crystals  and  warts,  not  prominent, 
but  frequently,  as  if  embedded  in  the  substance  itself. 
There  is  some  recommendation  also  in  the  agreeable 
odour." 

Much  discussion  has  arisen  in  regard  to  the  identi- 
fication of  the  stone.  Many  are  the  substances  with 
which  it  has  been  connected,  porcelain,  glass,  jade,  agate, 
china  agate,  onyx,  but  the  discovery  lately  of  some 
blocks  of  fluor  spar  has,  we  think,  settled  the  question, 
and  has  led  to  its  final  identification  with  that  material. 
It  was  long  supposed  that  fluor  spar  was  unknown  to  the 
Romans,  but  the  blocks  lately  found  at  the  Marmorata,  at 

7  Not  the  edges  of  vases,  as  understood  by  some  writers.  Pliny 
is  here  speaking  of  the  pieces  in  the  rough. 


126  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


Rome,  prove  that  it  was  largely  imported  at  the  time  of 
Hadrian. 

I  shall  now  make  a  few  remarks  on  the  above  notice, 
and  then  enter  more  fully  into  the  subject  of  its  identifica- 
tion with  fluor  spar.  Pliny  begins  his  description  of 
murrhina,  by  saying,  "  The  East  sends  us  murrhina"  Here 
he  evidently  means  the  material  itself,  the  pieces  in  the 
rough,  and  not  vases  and  vessels,  as  generally  understood. 
Hence  we  see  that  murrhina  was  brought  to  Rome  in  the 
rough,  and  then  wrought  up  into  dishes  and  bowls. 
Pliny's  supposition,  that  it  is  found  of  a  moist  substance, 
solidified  by  subterraneous  heat,  is  only  the  same  as  is  put 
forward  by  ignorant  lapidaries  at  Catania,  at  the  present 
day,  who  say  that  the  alabaster  found  under  Mount  Etna  is 
snow  solidified  by  intense  heat. 

We  come  now  to  its  identification  with  fluor  spar. 

Among  the  marbles  lately  discovered  at  Rome,  at  the 
Marmorata  (the  site  of  the  ancient  Emporium),  by  Signor 
Visconti,  are  eight  blocks  of  fluor  spar.  Through  the  kind- 
ness of  Mr.  Shakespere  Wood,  the  author  obtained  a  spe- 
cimen of  it,  which  was  given  to  him  by  Cardinal  Antonelli. 
Another  piece  was,  some  years  ago,  in  the  possession  of 
a  dealer  in  antiquities,  Rolli,  who  gave  out  that  he  found 
it  in  digging  the  foundations  of  a  house,  but  it  is  now 
known  he  stole  it  from  the  Marmorata.  This  was  sold 
to  the  Jesuits,  who  had  it  cut  up  into  thin  slices,  and 
had  the  front  of  their  altar  in  the  Chiesa  del  Jesu  orna- 
mented with  it. 

Specimens  of  both  are  in  the  possession  of  the  author. 
The  smaller  specimens  are  from  the  block  discovered  by 
Rolli,  and  obtained  by  him  from  Sibilio  of  the  Piazza  di 
Spagna,  to  whom  was  entrusted  the  cutting  up  of  the  block 
for  the  altar.  A  larger  specimen  is  from  the  late  discovery 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  127 


by  Signer  Visconti,  and  obtained,  as  already  mentioned, 
from  Cardinal  Antonelli,  by  whose  orders  the  blocks  have 
been  placed  in  the  vaults  of  the  Vatican,  to  be  used  at  some 
future  time  for  the  decoration  of  chuches. 

This  discovery  is  of  great  importance,  as '  it  not  only 
proves  that  fluor  spar  was  known  to  the  Romans,  but  also 
as  it  leads  to  the  identification  with  the  murrhina  of  Pliny. 
These  blocks  evidently  came  from  the  East,  as  they  were 
found  with  blocks  of  Oriental  marble  in  the  Emporium. 

The  specimens  in  the  possession  of  the  author  have  been 
pronounced  by  Mr.  Maskelyne  to  be  true  fluor  spar,  with  a 
white  stratum  of  hornstone  winding  through  it.  It  fully 
answers  the  description  of  Pliny.  It  exhibits  zones  of 
purple  with  veins  of  opaque  white  (hornstone)  running 
through  it.  In  some  parts  it  assumes  a  reddish,  fiery  hue. 
A  slight  iridescence  frequently  occurs  in  different  parts  of 
it.  Further,  fluor  spar  never  takes  a  high  polish,  and  is 
remarkable  for  the  beauty  and  variety  of  its  colours — purple, 
violet,  red,  blue,  green,  yellow,  and  the  winding  of  these 
various  zones  of  colours.  The  purpura  of  Pliny  was 
evidently  a  violet  tint,,  such  as  is  found  as  a  prevailing 
colour  in  fluor  spar,  as  he  applies  the  same  term  to  the 
amethyst.  If  the  word  sales  in  Pliny  can  be  translated 
crystals,  it  would  further  confirm  the  identity  of  mur- 
rhina and  fluor  spar,  as  fluor  is  characterized  by  its  crystal- 
lizing in  regular  cubes.  The  odour  is  evidently  from  the 
rosin,  which  was  put  round  it  when  working  it,  as  at  the 
present  day,  to  prevent  it  from  breaking,  as  it  is  of  a  soft 
and  brittle  nature.  Propertius's  expression,  "  Murrheaque 
in  Parthis  pocula  cocta  focis,"  strengthens  the  proof  of  its 
identity,  as  at  the  present  day  fluor  spar  is  baked  to  enhance 
the  beauty  of  the  colours,  particularly  the  red. 

The  blocks  of  fluor  spar  found  at  the  Marmorata  were 


128  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


evidently  brought  to  Rome  for  the  purpose  of  being  wrought 
up  into  dishes  and  bowls  for  the  luxurious  Romans. 

An  objection  has  been  made  to  this  identification  of  the 
murrhina  with  the  fluor  spar  found  at  Rome  on  account  of 
the  magnitude  of  the  blocks  discovered  at  the  Marmorata, 
for  Pliny  says,  "  In  superficial  extent  (the  pieces)  never 
exceed  that  required  for  small  dishes.  In  thickness  they 
are  rarely  large  enough  for  a  drinking-cup."  This  objec- 
tion is  not,  however,  a  strong  one,  as  the  blocks  of  murrhina 
introduced  into  Rome  by  Pompey,  and  noticed  by  Pliny, 
must  have  been  at  that  time  very  rare,  and  of  small  size ; 
but  at  the  time  of  Hadrian,  the  date  of  the  blocks,  according 
to  the  consulate  (SERVIANO  in.  cos)  marked  on  one  of  the 
blocks  of  marble  found  with  the  fluor  spar  at  the  Mar- 
morata, in  A.D.  184,  the  demand  must  have  been  greater, 
and  consequently  the  importation  more  extensive  and  the 
blocks  introduced  of  greater  size. 

A  further  objection  has  been  made  that  no  remains  of 
vases  of  fluor  spar  have  been  found  at  Rome.  Corsi 
mentions  two  antique  vases  found  in  Rome,  one  in  the 
Museo  Kircheriano,  which  he  says  so  completely  answered 
the  description  of  the  murrhina  that  it  seems  as  if  it  had  been 
in  the  hands  of  Pliny,  when  he  wrote  his  description  of  that 
material ;  another  in  the  possession  of  Signor  Gillet  Lamont. 

The  discovery  of  these  blocks  of  fluor  spar  shows  that 
this  substance  must  have  been  known  to  the  Romans,  and 
consequently  we  ought  to  have  some  description  of  it  in 
Pliny,  as  he  has  described  every  gem  and  stone  known  to 
the  Romans  of  that  period.  Now  there  is  no  description  in 
his  work  that  answers  better  that  of  fluor  spar  than  his 
description  of  murrhina. 

Mr.  Maskelyne  has  noticed  the  great  resemblance  little 
glass  Roman  vessels  exhibit  in  their  pattern  to  fluor  spar. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  129 


If  these  glass  vessels  are  the  false  murrhina  mentioned  in 
Pliny  and  other  writers,  it  affords  an  additional  proof  of 
the  identity  of  fluor  spar  with  the  true  murrhina. 

Some  consider  the  murrhina  to  be  agate.  Numerous 
specimens  of  agate  cups  have  been  frequently  found,  but 
none  answering  the  description  of  the  murrhina  of  Pliny 
occur  in  any  cup  or  bowl,  or  in  any  broken  fragments  often 
to  be  met  with.  Further,  agate  was  well  known  long 
before  the  introduction  of  murrhina  by  Pompey  as  a  distinct 
class  of  stone,  to  which  the  name  onyx  or  onychina  were 
generally  applied,  and  was  largely  imported  from  India, 
whereas  the  murrhina  came  from  Parthia,  and  more  espe- 
cially from  Carmania.  Onyx  and  murrhina  are  mentioned 
by  the  author  of  the  Periplus  (age  of  Augustus)  as  two 
distinct  substances,  and  as  being  brought  from  Ozene 
(Ougein)  to  Barygaza  (Broach)  for  exportation.  Ozene 
must  have  been  an  emporium  for  valuable  stones,  to  which 
the  murrhina  of  Parthia  and  Carmania  were  brought.  A 
simitar  distinction  also  occurs  in  Seneca,  when  he  speaks  of 
the  wealthy  having  "  mules  to  carry  their  vases  of  crystal, 
murrhina,  and  those  carved  by  the  hands  of  famous  artists," 
meaning  by  the  latter  vases  of  agate  or  onyx,  which  were 
carved  by  famous  artists,  the  so-called  cup  of  the  Ptolemies 
affording  an  example  of  one  of  these.  In  the  passage  of 
Lampridius  also,  "in  murrhinis  et  onychinis  minxit"  the 
murrhina  (fluor  spar)  and  onychina  (agate)  are  clearly  distin- 
guished. The  ancient  writers  could  not  have  been  so  inac- 
curate and  careless  as  to  divide  the  well-known  stones  of 
the  agate  kind  into  onyx  and  murrhina,  and  to  give  such 
different  descriptions  of  the  same  stone.  They  could  not 
have  had  such  little  discrimination  as  to  describe  the  same 
stone  in  one  place  under  the  name  of  onyx,  and  in  another 
under  that  of  murrhina. 

K 


130  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


But  the  strongest  objection  to  the  view  of  its  being  agate 
is  the  passage  of  Pliny,  where  he  mentions  that  a  consul 
gnawed  the  edges  of  a  vase  of  murrhina,  and  the  injury  done 
to  it  by  his  teeth  only  tended  to  enhance  its  value.  This 
shows  that  the  murrliina  was  of  the  soft  and  brittle  nature 
of  fluor  spar,  and  not  a  hard  siliceous  substance  like  agate, 
which  no  teeth  could  abrade. 

We  may  also  add  Dr.  Billing's  words  :  "As  it  is  recorded 
that  the  murrhina  vases  were  introduced  first  by  Pompey, 
from  his  Parthian  expedition,  they  could  not  be  agate,  which 
was  common  before  his  time  ;  hence  murrhina  must  not  be 
interpreted  agate.  It  is  a  remarkable  corroboration  of  this 
opinion  that,  although  fluor  spar  is  such  a  rare  mineral,  it 
has  been  seen  by  a  modern  traveller  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  Caspian  Sea,  just  the  locality  of  the  Parthian  ex- 
pedition." 

This  view  is  further  confirmed  by  the  observation  of 
the  author  of  the  article  on  Precious  Stones  in  the  Edin- 
burgh Review*  that  the  murrhina  vasa  were  "like  onyx, 
but  were  not  onyx."  In  this  he  is  so  far  correct  that  the 
zones  and  winding  strata  of  fluor  spar  bear  a  kind  of 
resemblance  to  those  of  agate  or  onyx.  He  adds  :  "  they 
came  with  onyx  from  the  Nerbudda,  as  related  by  the 
author  of  the  Periplus."  This  author  says  they  came  from 
Ozene  (Ougein),  which  is  nearly  100  miles  from  the  Ner- 
budda, and  divided  from  it  by  the  Vendhya  Mountains. 
Ozene  was  doubtless,  as  we  said  before,  an  emporium  to 
which  the  murrhina  of  Parthia  (murrhina  in  Partlris  pocula 
coctafocis)  were  brought,  to  be  forwarded  thence  to  Bary- 
gaza  (Broach)  for  exportation  to  Rome. 

Everything  points  out  a  distinct  difference  between  onyx 


6  July,  1866,  p.  253. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  131 


and  murrhina.  They  were  not  only  different  in  their 
nature,  for  the  onyx  is  a  hard,  siliceous  stone,  and  the 
murrhina  soft  and  easily  scratched,  as  we  must  infer  from 
Pliny's  account  of  the  consul  gnawing  the  edges  of  a  cup  of 
this  material,  and  leaving  the  marks  of  his  teeth  on  it ;  but 
also  in  the  localities  from  whence  they  came.  The  onyx 
came  from  India  and  Arabia,  the  murrhina  from  Parthia  and 
Carmania. 

Murrhina  was  evidently  considered  by  the  Romans  as  a 
rare  stone,  distinct  in  its  nature  from  every  stone  known 
to  them  hitherto.  It  is  classed  apart  by  Pliny.  Before 
entering  on  his  description  of  gems  and  precious  stones  he 
gives  an  account  of  murrhina,  crystal  and  amber,  as  distinct 
substances  from  those  he  was  going  to  treat  of,  evidently 
placing  them  in  a  class  apart  from  those  generally  known  as 
precious  stones,  among  which  agate  (onyx)  is  placed. 

Lastly  purpura  (purple  or  violet)  never  appears  in 
agates.  It  has,  however,  been  asserted  that  the  purpura 
of  the  ancients  was  of  a  crimson  hue  inclining  to  maroon. 
There  is  no  authority  for  this  assertion.  The  purpura  of 
Pliny  was  evidently  of  a  violet  or  amethystine  hue.  Among 
the  stones  of  the  colour  of  purpura  he  includes  the 
amethysts  of  India.  Further  on  he  mentions  the  amethysts 
of  India  as  having  in  perfection  the  richest  shade  of  purple. 
In  Book  ix.  cap.  68,  Pliny  mentions  that  Cheper,  who  died 
in  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Augustus,  has  left  the  following 
remarks  :  "  In  the  days  of  my  youth  the  violet  purple  was 
in  favour,  a  pound  of  which  used  to  sell  at  one  hundred 
denarii."  All  tends  to  show  that  the  purpura  of  Pliny  was 
of  a  rich  violet  amethystine  hue,  such  as  is  one  of  the 
predominant  colours  of  fluor  spar.7 

7  According  to  Sir  Gardner  Wilkinson  ("  Kawlinson's  Herodotus," 
ii.  347)  the  best  purple  was  amethyst  or  violet  colour. 

K    2 


132  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


ONYX. — ORIENTAL  ALABASTER. 

The  name  onyx  was  originally,  and  sometimes  in  Pliny's 
time,  as  he  tells  us,  given  to  the  marble  (Oriental  alabaster, 
carbonate  of  lime).  At  a  later  period  the  term  onyx  was 
restricted  to  the  gem  so  called  at  the  present  day ;  and  the 
name  alabastrites  was  applied  to  the  marble  from  its  being 
chiefly  employed  for  atabastra,  or  unguent  jars,  it  having, 
according  to  Pliny,  the  reputation  of  preserving  unguents 
from  corruption.  These  alabastra  were  shaped  like  minute 
amphoras,  but  without  handles.  The  Greeks,  however,  made 
a  more  careful  distinction  in  the  appellation  of  the  two  stones, 
giving  the  name  of  ovvyiav  to  the  gem,  and  of  OVV^LTLS  to  the 
marble. 

According  to  Pliny,  onyx  (Oriental  alabaster)  is  found  in 
the  vicinity  of  Thebes  in  Egypt,  and  of  Damascus  in  Syria, 
that  of  Damascus  being  whiter  than  the  other.  The  most 
esteemed  kind,  however,  is  that  of  Carmania,  the  next  being 
the  produce  of  India,  and  then  those  of  Syria  and  Asia. 
The  worst  in  quality  is  that  of  Cappadocia,  it  being  utterly 
destitute  of  lustre.  That  which  is  of  a  honey  colour  is  the 
most  esteemed,  covered  with  spots  curling  in  whirls 
(vortices},  and  not  transparent.  It  is  considered  defective, 
when  it  is  of  a  white  or  horn  colour,  or  approaching  to  glass 
in  appearance.  Drinking  vessels  were  made  of  it  at  first, 
and  then  the  feet  of  beds  and  chairs.  Cornelius  Nepos 
relates  that  great  was  the  astonishment  when  P.  Lentulus 
Spinther  exhibited  amphora3  made  of  this  material  as  large 
as  Chian  wine  vessels,  "  and  yet,  five  years  after,"  he  says, 
"  I  saw  columns  of  this  material  no  less  than  thirty- two  feet 
in  height."  Four  small  pillars  of  it  were  erected  by  Cor- 
nelius Balbus  in  his  theatre,  as  something  quite  marvellous, 


> 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  133 


and  thirty  columns  of  larger  size  were  erected  in  the 
banqueting-room  of  Caliistus. 

St.  Mark's  "  alabaster  box  of  ointment "  (aXa/Sdcrrpov 
fj.vpov  vapSov),  and  Horace's  "  nardi  parvus  onyx  "  were  of 
this  material. 

In  the  passage  of  Propertius, — 

"  Et  crocino  nares  murrhetts  ungat  onyx  " 

(L.  iii.  El.  x.) 

the  "  murrheus  onyx  "  is  evidently  also  alabaster,  the  epithet 
"  murrheus  "  being  added,  from  the  resemblance  of  this  onyx 
in  its  winding  zones  and  layers  to  those  of  the  murrhina 
or  fluor  spar.  The  ointment  was  sealed  up  in  small  ala- 
baster jars.  They  were  never  to  be  opened,  but  to  let  the 
scent  escape  slowly  and  sparingly  through  the  porous  stone. 
From  the  above  passage  it  would  appear  that  the  ointment 
exuded  through  the  porous  alabaster,  and  anointed  the 
nostrils.  The  Egyptian  squat  jars,  generally  termed  canopi, 
which  contained  the  principal  intestines  of  the  mummy  they 
are  found  in  connexion  with,  are  generally  of  this  material. 
In  Sir  John  Soane's  Museum  is  a  sarcophagus  cut  out  of  a 
single  block  of  Oriental  alabaster ;  it  is  covered  inside  as 
well  as  outside  with  hieroglyphics.  In  the  museum  of  the 
Vatican  are  some  magnificent  vases  and  baths  of  this 
beautiful  stone. 

Superb  examples  of  the  magnificence  of  Caliistus  in 
using  columns  of  this  beautiful  material  are  still  preserved  in 
some  of  the  older  Roman  churches,  relics  of  the  times 
alluded  to  by  Pliny,  but  none  have  ever  approached  to  the 
magnitude  of  those  presented  by  Mohammed  AH  to  the 
new  fabric  of  St.  Paolo  fuori  le  Mura,  columns  and  pilasters, 
forty  feet  long,  each  of  a  single  block  and  the  most  beautiful 
quality.  Under  this  Pasha  the  ancient  Egyptian  quarries 


134  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


had  been  reopened,  and  furnished  the  material  of  which  his 
sumptuous  mausoleum  at  Cairo  is  exclusively  constructed, 
ft  piece  of  extravagance  beyond  the  ambition  of  even 

Nero.8 

BASANITES.— BASALT. 

"  The  Egyptians,"  Pliny  writes,  "  have  discovered  in 
./Ethiopia  the  stone  known  as  *  basanites,'  which  in  colour 
and  hardness  resembles  iron,  whence  the  name  has  been 
given  to  it.  A  larger  block  of  it  has  never  been  known 
than  the  one  forming  the  group  which  has  been  dedicated  by 
the  Emperor  Vespasianus  Augustus  in  the  Temple  of  Peace. 
It  represents  the  river  Nilus,  with  sixteen  children  sporting 
around  it,  symbolical  of  the  sixteen  cubits,  the  extreme 
height  to  which,  in  the  most  favourable  seasons,  that  river 
should  rise." 

The  basanites  described  here  by  Pliny  is  the  stone 
known  at  the  present  day  under  the  name  of  basalt,  an 
igneous  rock  of  a  deep  black,  but  showing  a  tinge  of  green 
when  viewed  at  a  certain  angle,  and  of  an  extremely  fine 
grain. 

Intagli  and  scarabaei  of  a  very  late  period  among  the 
Egyptians  are  to  be  met  with  of  this  material.  There  are 
also  some  Gnostic  amulets  of  this  stone.  It  was  frequently 
employed  for  statues  by  the  Egyptians,  and  by  the  Eomans 
of  the  age  of  Hadrian. 

Basalt  was  also  known  as  Marmor  Tliebaicum. 

PORPHYRITES    LEPTOSEPHOS. PORPHYRY. 

The  porphyrites  leptosephos,  which  Pliny  describes  "  as 
the  production  of  Egypt,  and  of  a  red  colour  mottled 

8  C.  W.  King,  "Natural  History  of  Geins,"  p.  21. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  135 


with  white  blotches,"  is  undoubtedly  porphyry,  a  stone  of 
a  dark  crimson  ground,  thickly  disseminated  with  white 
crystals  of  felspar.  Pliny  further  states  that  the  quarries 
in  Egypt  are  able  to  furnish  blocks  of  any  dimensions,  how- 
ever large. 

Talismanic  intagli  of  a  late  Roman  date  occasionally 
occur  in  this  stone. 

Under  the  Lower  Empire  it  was  largely  employed  in  the 
most  sumptuous  edifices  then  erected,  in  the  forms  of 
columns,  of  labra  for  baths,  and  of  sarcophagi. 

The  Sarcophagus  of  the  Empress  Helena  in  the  Vatican 
is  made  out  of  a  single  block  19|  palms  high  by  12  long 
(13  X  8  feet)  of  this  stone,  of  the  finest  texture  and  deepest 
colour.  The  sarcophagus  of  Constantia,  daughter  of  Con- 
stantine,  is  also  cut  out  of  a  single  block  of  the  same  stone 
(7*  X  5J  feet). 

The  lower  parts  of  later  Imperial  busts,  having  the  head 
alone  in  white  marble  or  bronze,  were  occasionally  carved 
of  this  material. 

It  was  also  employed  by  Italian  artists  at  the  Revival. 

The  porphyrites  of  Pliny  is  the  red  marble  known  among 
the  fragments  found  at  Rome  as  rosso  antico. 


OPHITES. — SERPENTINE. 

The  ophites  marble,  which  Pliny  describes  as  marked 
with  white  streaks,  which  resemble  serpents  in  appearance, 
and  which  derives  its  name  from  this,  is  identified  with  the 
serpentine  so  frequently  met  with  among  Roman  ruins,  and 
which  has  been  termed  serpentino  antico.  It  is  of  a  dark 
dull-green  colour,  with  long,  whitish  spots. 

Egyptian    scarabasi,    bearing    hieroglyphics,    frequently 


136  ANTIQUE  GEMS. 


occur  of  this  material.     Gems  of  a  late  Roman  period  are 
sometimes  met  with  in  serpentine.9 

SYENITES. — GRANITE. 

"  In  the  neighbourhood  of  Syene,"  Pliny  says,  "  in  The- 
bais,  there  is  a  stone  found  that  is  now  known  as  syenites, 
but  was  formerly  called  pyrrho-paecilon."  This  can  be  no 
other  than  the  well-known  Egyptian  stone,  granite,  a  primi- 
tive rock  whose  constituent  parts  are  felspar,  quartz,  and 
mica.  This  red  or  Egyptian  variety  of  granits  (the  red 
felspar  predominating)  was  principally  used  by  the  Egyp- 
tians for  their  statues  and  obelisks.  "  Monarchs,"  Pliny 
writes,  "  have  entered  into  a  sort  of  rivalry  with  one  an- 
other in  forming  elongated  blocks  of  this  stone,  known  as 
obelisks,  and  consecrated  to  the  divinity  of  the  sun."1 

The  variety  of  granite  called  at  the  present  day  syenite 
is  composed  of  felspar,  quartz,  and  hornblende.  Though 

9  A  portion  of  an  ancient  dish,  found  at  Ostia,  of  antigorite  (ser- 
pentine), is  in  the  possession  of  the  author. 

1  "  The  hieroglyphics  in  the  obelisks  are  rather  engraved  than  sculp- 
tured, and,  judging  from  the  minute  manner  in  which  they  are  exe- 
cuted, we  may  suppose  they  adopted  the  same  process  as  engravers, 
and  even,  in  some  instances,  employed  the  wheel  and  drill.  That 
they  were  acquainted  with  the  use  of  emery  powder  is  not  at  all 
improbable,  since,  being  found  in  the  islands  of  the  Archipelago,  it 
was  within  their  reach  ;  and  if  this  be  admitted,  we  can  account  for 
the  admirable  finish  and  sharpness  of  the  hieroglyphics  on  granite 
and  basaltic  monuments,  and  explain  the  reason  of  their  preferring 
tools  of  bronze  to  those  of  harder  and  more  tempered  steel,  for  it  is 
evident  the  powder  enters  more  readily  into  the  former,  and  its 
action  upon  the  stone  is  increased  in  proportion  to  the  quantity  re- 
tained by  the  point  of  the  chisel,  whence  we  prefer  tools  of  soft  iron 
to  hard  steel  for  the  same  purpose."— Sir  Gardner  Wilkinson,  "  Ancient 
Egyptians,"  vol.  ii.  p.  157. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS.  137 

deriving  its  name  from  Syene,  in  Egypt,  but  little  of  it  is 
met  with  in  that  place,  the  rock  there  being  chiefly  granite. 

The  syenites  of  antiquity  was  the  red  Egyptian  granite 
of  Syene.  It  was  the  Ai'0os  AI&OTTIKOS  TTOLKL\O<S  of  Herodotus. 

The  large  masses  of  granite  from  Syene  for  obelisks  do 
not  appear  to  have  been  conveyed  to  the  lower  parts  of 
Egypt  by  the  river  Nile.  They  were  taken  by  land.  Hero- 
dotus, in  mentioning  one  of  the  largest  blocks  ever  cut  by 
the  Egyptians,  says  it  was  conveyed  from  Elephantine,  or 
rather  Syene,  by  land,  during  the  reign  of  Amasis,  to  the 
vicinity  of  Sais,  and  that  it  employed  2000  men  for  three 
years. 

The  Egyptians  were  the  only  people  who  engraved  small 
objects  in  granite.  Scarabasi  bearing  hieroglyphics  of  this 
material  are  frequently  met  with. 


CATALOGUE 

OF 

GEMS    AND    PRECIOUS    STONES 

IN   THE 

TOWNSHEND  COLLECTION,  SOUTH  KENSINGTON  MUSEUM.1 


1172.  DIAMOND.     In    the    native    state  ;     an    octahedral 

crystal,  with  the  curved  faces  and  the  edges  replaced, 
passing  into  a  dodecahedron  ;  diam.  J  in.  ;  in  claw 
setting  on  a  swing  mount. 

1173.  Black    Diamond.     Nearly    circular;    brilliant   cut; 

diam.  \  in.  ;  surrounded  with  fourteen  small  rose 
diamonds  in  coronet  mounting. 

1 1 74.  Brilliant.   Nearly  circular,  diam.  —§  in.    Silver  setting 

on  chased  gold  shank. 

1 1 75.  Green  Brilliant.  Round ;  diam.  i  in. ;  surrounded  with 

twelve  brilliants,  double  cut ;  set  in  silver  on  a 
gold  mounting. 

1  This  Catalogue  is  adapted,  by  permission,  from  that  prepared  by 
Mr.  James  Tennant  for  the  Science  and  Art  Department,  with  the 
mistakes  corrected. 


CATALOGUE,  ETC.  139 

1176.  Sea-green  Diamond.     Brilliant  cut  ;  Tf  in.  byi  in.  ; 

with  a  rose  diamond  on  each  of  the  six  points  of  the 
coronet  setting. 

1177.  Yellow  Diamond.     Circular  ;  diam.  T5^  in.,  with  eight 

rose  diamonds,  one  on  each  point  of  the  coronet 
setting. 

1 1 78.  Pale  Puce  Diamond.     Brilliant  cut  ;  T3ff  in.  by  \  in. ; 

surrounded  with  twelve  small  brilliants,  set  in  silver 
on  the  open-work  mounting. 

1179.  Blue    Diamond.     Brilliant    cut  ;  ^  in.   by  -/^  in.  ; 

surrounded  with  12  -f-  6  =  18  brilliants. 

1180.  Rock  Crystal.     Circular  ;  brilliant  cut ;  diam.  ^  in.; 

on  a  coronet  mount  with  silver  claws. 

1181.  Smoky  Quartz.     Octagonal;  cushion-cut  face;  back 

facetted  ;  ^|  in.  by  T9^  in.  ;  coronet  mount. 

1182.  Pale   Yellow    Quartz.     Face   with   table   and  step- 

facets  ;  culet  pointed,  and  culet-side  facetted ; 
|  in.  by  -^  in.,  and  |-  thick  ;  on  coronet  mounting. 

1183.  Oval  Yellow    Quartz.     Table    cut;   back   facetted; 

1  in.  by  J  in.  ;  in  a  claw  mount. 

1184.  Oval  Yellow  Quartz.     Face  with  table,  and  facetted 

bezel ;  back  with  facets,  and  a  pointed  culet ;  li  in. 
by  li  in.,  and  -^  in.  thick  ;  in  coronet  mount. 

1185.  Yellow  Quartz,  with  a  feather.     Oblong,  cushion-cut 

with  steps  ;  large  facets  on  the  back;  1-^  by  H  in., 
and  1 J  in.  thick  ;  coronet-mounted  handle. 

1186.  Twin    Stone   of  Pale  Yellow   and   Purple    Quartz. 

Each  half  long-oval,  facetted,  and  |-J  in.  by  §  in.; 
set  in  a  plain  mount. 

1187.  Oval   Biconvex  Amethyst.      Containing  four  large 

cavities  with  movable  fluid  and  floating  bubbles  ; 
1  in.  by  £ain.,  and  §  in.  thick ;  in  a  plain  swing 
mount. 


140  CATALOGUE 


1188.  Oval  Amethyst.     Cushion-cut  ;  -||  in.  by  \\  in.  ;  in 

a  coronet  mounting. 

1189.  Heart-shaped    Amethyst.       Facetted   on    face    and 

back  ;  -^1  in.  by  \\  in.  ;  in  coronet  mount. 

1190.  Deep-coloured   Oval  Amethyst.     Face  cushion-cut  ; 

back  facetted ;    1  in.  by  |  in.,  and  \  in.  thick  ;   in 
coronet  mounting. 

1191.  Amethyst.      Rich  in  colour,   and  striped  ;  cushion- 

cut  face;  facetted  back;  l-f^  in.  by  f-J  in.,  and  £  in. 
thick  ;  in  a  coronet  mount. 

1192.  Amethyst.     Indian;    of  a  delicate  tint;    table-cut, 

and  facetted  ;    back  cut  in  steps  ;  J  in.  by  i  in.  ; 
surrounded  with  thirty-seven  rose  diamonds. 

1193.  Pale  Yellow  Quartz.     Carved  as  a  monkey's  head, 

with  a  rosy  tint  in  the  nose  ;  J  in.  by  -j%  in. ;    in 
a  plain  mount. 

1194.  Chrysoberyl.     Light  yellowish  green  ;  brilliant  cut ; 

|-  in.  by  |  in.  ;  coronet  mount. 

1195.  Quartz.      Of  a  deep  wine  colour,  oval  ;    table-cut  ; 

back  facetted  ;   ^  in.  by  -|  in.,  and  -f^  in.  thick  ; 
coronet  mount. 

1196.  Plasma.     Oval;   engraved  with  a  Cupid  holding  a 

butterfly  over  a  torch  ;  T5^  in.  by  J  in.;  in  a  plain 
mount. 

1197.  Plasma.     Oval  ;  engraved  with  a  Cupid  resting  on  a 

staff ;  |  in.  by  i  in.  ;  coronet  mount. 

1198.  Plasma.      Long   oval  ;    engraved  with  two   female 

figures,  |  *  in.  by  J  in.     Plain  mounting. 

1199.  Chrysoprase.    Oval-face;  table-cut;  back  rounded; 

\^  in.  by  §  in.  ;  solid  plain  mount. 

1200.  Chrysoprase.     Oval;  engraved   in   high   relief  with 

a   laurel- wreathed  head ;   ^f  in.  by  T9^  in. ;  plain 
mount. 


OF  GEMS  AND  PRECIOUS  STONES.  141 

1201.  Chrysoprase.     Nearly  circular;  diam.  \  in.;  in  plain 

mount. 

1202.  Chrysoprase.  Oval  ;  cut  en  cabochou;  J  in.  by  -f^  in. ; 

in  a  solid  chased  mounting. 

1203.  Chrysoprase.    Oval;  cut  en  cabochon;  -J|.  in.  by  *£•§  in.; 

in  a  coronet  mounting. 

1204.  Sapphirine.      Oval ;     convex,    engraved     with     an 

Olympian  Zeus  ;  J  in.  by  -/^  in.  ;  in  a  coronet 
mounting. 

1205.  Amazon  Stone.   (Orthoclase  Felspar.)  Oval;  Jin.  by 

-£%  in. ;  in  a  plain  mount. 

1206.  Agate.     Oval;  white,  with  a  patch  of  brown,  some- 

what resembling  the  shape  of  a  female  head;  £  in. 
by  -fj  in.;  in  a  coronet  mounting. 

1207.  Agate.     Oval;    light  brown,    with  some   concentric 

lines;  \\  in.  by  r9^  in.;  perforated  with  two  holes;  in 
coronet  mounting. 

1208.  Amethyst  and  Chalcedony.     Oval;  in  an  octagonal 

setting;  -jj  in.  by  /^  in.  The  flat  face  has  a  brown- 
ish-white (speckly)  chalcedonic  layer  cut  into  a 
Panther,  and  a  narrow  border;  the  convex  back  of 
amethyst  is  engraved  with  a  Bacchante;  mounted 
as  a  double  swing  ring. 

1209.  Onyx.     T9g-  in.  by  -^  in.;  plain  mount. 

1210.  Eye-Onyx.     Hemispherical;  diam.  %  in.;  in  coronet 

mounting. 

1211.  Sardonyx.    Oval;  brown,  white,  and  black; -|  in.  by 

-/^  in. ;  in  plain  solid  mount. 

1212.  Sard.     Nearly  square;  flat,   engraved  with  Oriental 

characters,  decorated  with  foliage ;  |  in.  by  f  in. ; 
in  a  plain  mounting. 

1213.  Moss  Agate.     Oval ;  purplish;   |-  in.  by  T5^  in.;  in 

coronet  mounting. 


142  CATALOGUE 

1214.  Mocha  Stone.     1  in.  by  |^  in.;  claw  mounting. 

1215.  Mocha  Stone.     Oval;  grey;  1  in.  by  f  in.;  in  plain 

light  mounting. 

1216.  Heliotrope.      Oval;    flat;    %\   in.   by   ^  in.;    plain 

mounting. 

1217.  Cat's  Eye.     Honey  yellow;  cut  en  cabochon;  J  in. 

by  ^  in.,  and  -£%  in.  thick;  coronet  mounting. 

1218.  Cat's  Eye.     Brownish;  cut  en  cabochon;  T3^  in.  by 

^  in.;  plain  mount. 

1219.  Cat's  Eye.     Brownish;  cut  en  cabochon  and  hollow; 

||-  in.  by  -f-g  in.;  surrounded  by  twenty  brilliants, 
and  with  several  roses  on  the  pierced  shoulders;  all 
set  in  silver  on  a  gold  shank. 

1220.  Precious  Opal.     Harlequin;  heart-shaped;  yf  in.  by 

T|  in.;  surrounded  with  forty-six  diamonds;  in 
open-work  mounting. 

1221.  Precious    Opal.     Oval;  f  in.  by  |  in.;    surrounded 

with  thirty-four  diamonds. 

1222.  Precious  Opal.     Long  pear-shaped ;  -f%  in.  by  -^in. ; 

in  open, blue-enamelled  coronet  setting;  surrounded 
with  twelve  brilliants. 

1223.  Precious  Opal.     Oval;  -^  in.  by  -/-  in.;  surrounded 

with  twenty-four  brilliants;  plain  mounting. 

1224.  Precious  Opal.     Oval;  •£•  in.  by  -£%  in.;  surrounded 

with  sixteen  rose  diamonds ;  in  open-work  mounting. 

1225.  Precious  Opal.    Long  oval;  -|  in.  by  -^  in.;  in  claw 

setting,  with  blue  enamel. 

1226.  Fire  Opal.     Long  oval;  f  in.  by  fj  in.;  with  blue 

enamel  border  on  the  gold  setting. 

1227.  Fire  Opal.     Circular;  diam.  T5^in.;    coronet  mount, 

on  carved  shank. 

1228.  Precious  Opal.     Oval;  TJ  in.  by  T9g-  in.;  plain  mount- 

ing, with  claws. 


OF  GEMS  AND  PRECIOUS  STONES.  143 

1229.  Precious  Opal.     Oval;  J  in.  by  £  in.;  plain  mount. 

1230.  Precious  Opal.      Oval;  pale  pinkish-grey;  f  in.  by 

T72  in.;  in  a  light  open  coronet  mounting. 

1231.  Precious  Opal.     Ovate;  light  purple;  f  in.  by  -J-  in.; 

in  simple  mounting. 

1232.  Precious  Opal.     Oval;  part  white,  part  brown;  |  in. 

by  T6g-  in.;  in  open-work  setting. 

1233.  Opal.     Oblong  oval;  dark  brown;  with  play  of  green 

colour;  -j-J  in.  by  -|  in.;  coronet  mounting. 

1234.  Opal.      Heart-shaped;  blue  and  grey;  diam.  i  in.; 

plain  mounting. 

1235.  Semi-opal.     Nearly  hemispherical;  yellow,  dendritic; 

|  in.  by  |  in.;  open-work  mount. 

1236.  Semi-opal.    Circular;  yellow;  facetted;  diam.  -3^  in.; 

plain  open  mounting. 

1237.  Lumachelle  (Fire  Marble).  Oval;  flat;  1  in.  by  f  in.; 

in  a  coronet  mounting. 

1238.  Sapphire.     Long  oval;  en  cabochon,  prismatic  by  a 

flaw;  J|  in.  by  T6g-  in.;  in  coronet  setting. 

1239.  Sapphire.      Deep  blue;  T\  in.  by  T5g-  in.;    set  with 

three  brilliants  and  four  small  diamonds. 

1240.  Sapphire.      Circular;  blue;    diam.  T7ff  in.;    set  with 

two  pear-shaped  brilliants,  and  ten  small  brilliants. 

1241.  Sapphire.    Deep  blue;  globose  oval;  -fff  in.  by  -/^in.; 

in  plum  mounting,  with  claws. 

1242.  Sapphire.      Deep   blue;    egg-shaped;    table-cut    on 

face;  facetted  on  back;    £  in.  by  \  in.,  and  T9g-  in. 
thick;  in  coronet  mount. 

1243.  Star  Sapphire.     En  cabochon;  oval;  \  in.  by  T6g-  in.; 

in  a  plain  mount. 

1244.  Star  Sapphire.     With    silky   lustre;    octagonal;    en 

cabochon;  ff  in.  by  •§••£•  in.;  surrounded  with  forty- 
seven  small  diamonds. 


144  CATALOGUE 

1245.  Star  Sapphire.      Hemispherical;    pale    blue;    diam. 

\  in.;  surrounded  with  two  circles  of  diamonds. 

1246.  Star  Sapphire.     Nearly  hemispherical ;  diam. -^  in.; 

in  coronet  mounting. 

1247.  Violet  Sapphire  (Oriental  Amethyst).      Octagonal- 

oblong,  facetted ;   /ff  in.  by  f  in. ;  surrounded  with 
forty  diamonds. 

1248.  Sapphire.    Amethystine.      Cushion-cut  ;  •£•§  in.  by 

-^g-  in. ;  in  coronet  mounting. 

1249.  Ruby.     Nearly  square;  J  in.  by  T3^  in.;  surrounded 

with  brilliants ;  open-work  mounting. 

1250.  Star   Ruby.       Pale  ;  hemispherical  ;    diam.  T7g-  in.  ; 

plain  mounting,  with  claws. 

1251.  Star  Ruby.     Oval,   en  cabochon  ;  -J.J  in.  by  |  in.; 

surrounded  with  thirty-three  diamonds  ;  open-work 
mounting. 

1252.  Ruby.     Sub-ovate;  f  in.  by  -|  in.;  surrounded  with 

twelve  diamonds  ;  coronet  mount. 

1253.  Ruby.     Oblong;  cushion-cut;  J  in.  by  -/^  in.;  sur- 

rounded  with   twenty-four   diamonds  ;   open-work 
mounting. 

1254.  Ruby.     Oblong;  cushion-cut;  T7-  in.  by  T5g- in.;  sur- 

rounded with   twenty-four  diamonds  ;    open-work 
mount. 

1255.  Ruby.     Circular;  facetted;  diam.  T5^  in.;  surrounded 

with  twenty  diamonds;  open-work  mounting. 

1256.  Yellow   Sapphire    (Oriental  Topaz).      Oval-oblong; 

cushion-cut;  J  in.  by  T6g-  in.,  and  -£5  in.  thick;  coronet 
mount. 

1257.  White  Sapphire  (Lux  Sapphire).     Octagonal;  diam. 

•J-l  in. ;  light  coronet  mount. 

1258.  Chatoyant  Sapphire.     Translucent,  brown  chatoyant, 

with  a  patch  of  grey  light  at  one  end,  and  iri- 


OF  GEMS  AND  PRECIOUS  STONES.  145 

descent  by  a  flaw;  en  cabochon;  -f%  in.  by  -£•§  in.; 
in  coronet  mount. 

1259.  Sapphire.    Wine-coloured;  translucent;  en  cabochon; 

f  in.  by  T5^  in.;  surrounded  with  sixteen  rose  dia- 
monds ;   on  a  swing  mount. 

1260.  Sapphire.      Salmon-coloured  ;    translucent ;  oblong  ; 

T7g-  in.    by    T5g-   in.  ;    surrounded   with   thirty-four 
diamonds;  plain  mounting. 

1261.  Turquoise.    Circular;  of  greenish  tint  ;  -~2  in.  diam.; 

cut  with  a  female  head  in  relief ;  solid  mount. 

1262.  Turquoise.     Rich  blue;  oval;  en  cabochon  ;  ^  in.  by 

-g9^  in. ;  surrounded  with  thirtjr-four  diamonds. 

1263.  Turquoise.     Oval;  en  cabochon  ;  J  in.  by  i  in.;  set 

round     with     fourteen     brilliants     in    open-work 
mount. 

1264.  Turquoise.     Oval;  en  cabochon;  ~%  in.  by  ^  in.;  in 

a  thick  plaited  ring. 

1265.  Turquoise.     Oval;  deep  blue  ;  nearly  flat ;  |  in.  by 

-29?  in.;  solid  mount. 

1266.  Turquoise.     Heart-shaped ;    inlaid    with    a    narrow 

border  and  numerous  irregular  lines  of  gold;  f  in. 
by  i  in. ;  in  coronet  mount. 

1267.  Kyanite.     Pale  violet,  with  oblique  lines  of  cleavage; 

oval  ;  en  cabochon;  J  in.  by  -f^  in.;  in  light  claw 
mount. 

1268.  Kyanite.     Pale  blue  ;  narrow  oblong;  en  cabochon; 

^  in.  by  i  in. ;  in  a  plain  claw  mount. 

1269.  Carbuncle.      Round  ;    facetted  ;    diam.    i  in.  ;  sur- 

rounded with  nine  brilliants. 

1270.  Carbuncle.     En  cabochon,  and  set  on  foil ;  -J^-  in.  by 

f  in. ;  in  a  solid  claw  mount. 

1271.  Almandine.  Nearly  circular;  facetted; -|J  in. by -|J  in.; 

in  a  coronet  mount. 

L 


146  CATALOGUE 


1272.  Almandine.     En   cabochon,  and    hollow;  yf  in.  by 

\  in. ;  engraved   with   a   Faun,    in   plain   mount- 
ing. 

1273.  Almandine.     Octagonal;  face  with  table  and  facetted 

stone;  diam.  -^  in.;  in  a  claw  mount. 

1274.  Precious  Garnet.     Brown;  oblong;  J|in.  by^in.; 

surrounded  with  forty-seven  diamonds. 

1275.  Precious  Garnet.     Rich  brown;  facetted;  Jf  in.  by 

-/2  in-5  in  &  coronet  mount. 

1276.  Cluster  of  Seven  Stones  of  Precious  Garnet.     In  a 

plain  mounting. 

1277.  Almandine.      Oblong  ;    table-cut;   \±  in.    by  \  in.; 

surrounded  with  forty-four  diamonds;    open-work 
mounting. 

1278.  Almandine.     Scutcheon-shaped;  flat; -^  in.  by  T3j  in.; 

in  a  claw  mount. 

1279.  Garnet.     Deep  wine-coloured  ;  cushion-cut;  f  in.  by 

ff  in.;  in  a  coronet  mount. 

1280.  Essonite.     Square;  diam.  \  in. ;  in  coronet  mount. 

1281.  Essonite.     Octagonal;  diam.  ^jin.;   in  coronet  set- 

ting. 

1282.  Essonite.     Oblong;  -j-£in.  by  Jin.;  plain  mounting. 

1283.  Emerald.     Flat;   fj  in.  by  ||  in.;   engraved  with 

Oriental  characters;  set  in  a  coronet  mount. 

1284.  Emerald.      Square;   set  lozenge- wise ;  diam.  -^  in  ; 

surrounded  with  thirty-six  diamonds. 

1285.  Star    Emerald.      Showing    six    rays;    sub-globular, 

with  face  and  back  centrally  flattened;  diam.  Jin.; 
in  plain  swing. 

1286.  Beryl.     Circular;  with  large  table,  surrounded  with 

facets  ;  culet-side  facetted  in  squares;    diam.   \\\ 
in.;  1-J-  in.  thick;  coronet  mounted. 

1287.  Beryl.     Oval;  with  large  table  and  numerous  facets; 


OF  GEMS  AND  PRECIOUS  STONES,  147 

back  facetted  ;  1T7^  in.  by  I  \  in.,  and  -|-J  in.  thick  ; 
coronet  mounted. 

1288.  Aquamarine.      Oval;    with   large   table,  and   facets 

round  it ;  culet-side  cut  with  square  facets ;  !•}•£  in. 
by  1J  in.;  1  in.  thick;  coronet  mounted. 

1289.  Aquamarine.     Long    oblong;    face   with   table   and 

brilliant  facets;  back  ridged  and  facetted  with  steps ; 
1£  in.  by  -£-s  in.;  •£§  in.  thick;  in  coronet  mount. 

1290.  Aquamarine.     Nearly  square;  J  in.  by  -Ji  in.;   in 

open  coronet  setting. 

1291.  Euclase.     -£$  in.  by  -^  in.;  coronet  mounting. 

1292.  Labradorite.    Circular;  slightly  convex ;  diam. -/g-  in.; 

in  a  claw  mount. 

1293.  Sunstone.     Oval;  encabochon;  -^  in.  by  ^  in.;  in 

solid  mounting. 

]  294.  Moonstone.     Oval ;  cut  en  cabochon ;  J  in.  by  -£%  in. ; 
in  a  plain  mount. 

1295.  Black    Tourmaline.     Nearly    square;    cushion-cut; 

|  in.  by  -£§  in.;  coronet  mounting. 

1296.  Crystal  of  Apophyllite.     Truncated  pyramid ;  diam. 

-£%  in.;  in  a  claw  mount. 

1297.  Chrysoberyl.      Nearly  circular;  cushion-cut;    1   in. 

by  T5£-  in.;  in  a  coronet  mount. 

1298.  Green  Jargoon.     Long  oval;  ^  in.  by  -/g-  in.;  in  a 

light  plain  claw. 

1299.  Peridot.     Oval;  f  in.  by  J  in.;  plain  mounting. 

1300.  Peridot.   Diam.  T8^  in.;  engraved  with  an  hermaphro- 

dite and  tree,  and  the  name  of  the  artist,   Calan- 
drelli,  in  Greek  characters  ;  plain  mount. 

1301.  Peridot.     Octagonal   oblong;    table-cut,    with    side 

facets;  back  facetted  with  steps;  1 J  in.  by  1  £  in.; 
coronet  mounting. 

1302.  Peridot.     Bounded  oblong;  face  cushion-cut;  back 

L  2 


148  CATALOGUE 


facetted ;  \\  in.  by  T9^  in.,  and  T5^  in.  thick ;  in  a 
solid  mount. 

1303.  Peridot.     Oblong;   face  slightly  convex;  table-cut, 

with  one  facet  all  round ;  culet  and  culet-side 
rounded,  the  back  being  barrel-shaped,  with 
facetted  ends;  \\  in.  by  -}i  in.,  and  f  in.  thick; 
coronet  mount. 

1304.  Chrysoberyl.     Light  yellowish  green;  brilliant-cut; 

-J-J  in.  by  -£s  •  open  coronet  mount. 

1305.  Jargoon.     Pale  milky;  -£%  in.  by  J  in.;  brilliant-cut; 

in  a  plain  mount. 

1 306.  Hyacinthine  Garnet.     Oval ;    carved  in  high  relief 

with  bust ;  -J-J  in.  by  -J  in.;  in  plain  mounting. 

1307.  Hyacinthine   Garnet.     Oblong;  -^  in.  by  -J  in.;  in 

light  coronet  setting. 

1308.  White  Topaz.      Nearly  square;  brilliant-cut;  diam. 

T7g-  in. ;  in  coronet  mounting. 

1309.  Topaz.  Deep  purplish  pink;  oblong, table-cut ;  if  in. 

by  \  in. ;  surrounded  with  thirty-four  diamonds  ;  in 
open-work  mounting. 

1310.  Yellow  Topaz.     Cushion-cut;  -j-J  in.  by  -|  in.;  sur- 

rounded with  thirty-six  diamonds ;  open-work 
mounting. 

1311.  Yellow  Topaz.     Narrow  oblong;    cut   with   oblong 

table  and  step-facets ;  culet-ridged,  and  culet-side 
in  steps;  1J  in.  by  •§•  in.,  and  T5^  in.  thick;  coronet 
mount. 

1312.  Yellow    Sapphire.      Oval;    J-   in.   by   \   in.;    open 

coronet  mount. 

1313.  Yellow  Topaz.    Oblong,  with  slightly  rounded  sides; 

cushion-cut,  with  long  angular  facets;  facetted 
with  steps  on  back ;  -j|  in.  by  \\  in.,  and  -/?  in. 
thick  ;  in  coronet  mount. 


OF  GEMS  AND  PRECIOUS  STONES.  149 

1314.  Yellow  Topaz.     Octagonal  oblong  ;  step-cut;  flawed 

with  parallel  cleavage-planes;   T9^  in.   by  T6^  in.; 
solid  mounting  with  four  claws. 

1315.  Topaz.       Oval;   pale   bright   bronze;   brilliant-cut; 

\  in.  by  -^  in.;  coronet  mount. 

1316.  Blue   Topaz.     Oval;    cushion-cut;    back    facetted; 

J  in.  by  -if  in. ;  -J--1  thick  ;  in  coronet  mount. 

1317.  Pink  Topaz.     Oblong;  -|  in.  by  J  in.;  surrounded 

with  thirty-six  diamonds  ;  open-work  mounting. 

1318.  Burnt  Topaz.     Oblong;  cushion-cut;  back  facetted ; 

J  in.  by  -fs  in. ;  coronet  mount. 

1319.  Blue  Tourmaline  (Indicolite).     Oval  facetted;  f  in. 

by  -fj  in. ;  coronet  mount. 

1320.  Red  Tourmaline  (Rubellite).     Circular,  slightly  con- 

vex ;    facetted ;   flat   at   back ;   diam.    j    in. ;   in  a 
coronet  mount. 

1321.  Green  Tourmaline.      Octagonal  oblong;   £|   in.   by 

-~  in. ;  coronet  mount. 

1322.  Green   Jargoon.     Cushion-cut  face;    facetted  back; 

•/2-  in.  by  \  in. ;  in  plain  claw  mount. 

1323.  Green  Tourmaline.     Oblong;  face  cushion-cut,  and 

facetted  in  steps ;  back  with  steps  facetted ;  1  in. 
by  f  in.,  and  -f%  in.  thick  ;  coronet  mount. 

1324.  Lapis-lazuli.     Oval,  flat;  •£§  in.  by  /¥  in.;  in  a  solid 

mount. 

1325.  Blue  Spinel.     Facetted;  -|  in.  by  T5g-  in.;  surrounded 

with  eighteen  diamonds  ;  in  open-work  mounting. 

1326.  Spinel.     Oblong;  cushion-cut;  T7^  in.  by  f  in.;  sur- 

rounded with  sixty-seven  diamonds ;  in  open-work 
mounting. 

1327.  Spinel     Square;  diam.  J  in.;    step-cut;  surrounded 

with  thirty-six  brilliants;  set  lozenge-wise  on  a  plain 
mount. 


150  CATALOGUE,  ETC. 

1328.  Cymophane.      Circular;    en  cabochon;    diam.  f  in.; 

surrounded  with  sixteen  diamonds  ;  in  open-work 
mounting. 

1 329.  Cymophane.     |  in.  by  -fs  in. ;  coronet  mount. 

1330.  Cymophane.    Oval ;  \\  in.  by  |  in.;  surrounded  with 

twenty-eight  brilliants  ;  in  plain  mount  with  claws. 

1331.  Cymophane.     Greenish  brown  ;  biconvex ;  diam. -j-J  ; 

coronet  mount. 

1332.  Cymophane.     Oval;  en  cabochon;  J-J  in.  byT7^  in.; 

plain  mount. 

1333.  Cymophane.     Dark  green  ;  £  in.  by  •£§  in.;  coronet 

mount. 

1334.  Malachite.       Hemispherical;    diam.    \    in.;    coronet 

mount. 

1335.  Marcasite.     Heart-shaped;  facetted;  \  in.  by  \  in.; 

light  coronet  mounting. 

1336.  Crocidolite.   Dark  bluish  green;  oblong;  en  cabochon ; 

-fg  in.  by  -fa  in. ;  coronet  mount. 

1337.  Pearl.     Diam.  -f%  in.;  set  with  brilliants. 

1338.  Black  Pearl.     Round;  diam.  J  in.;  plain  mounting 

with  claws. 

1 339.  Pink  Pearl.     Diam.  -J  in. ;  in  claw  setting. 

1340.  White  Pearl.     Short-ovate;    diam.  i    in.;    held  by 

four  claws. 


ANTIQUE  GEMS 


BLACAS  COLLECTION,  BRITISH  MUSEUM. 


CAMEI. 

THE  bust  of  Augustus,  with  the  aegis  on  the  breast.  A 
cameo  of  an  oval  form,  measuring  5i  in.  by  3^  in.  A 
sardonyx  of  three  layers.  Formerly  in  the  Strozzi  Col- 
lection. 

Augustus,  with  the  Capricorn,  the  sign  of  the  nativity  of 
this  Emperor.  Onyx  cameo. 

Julia,  the  daughter  of  Augustus,  crowned  with  poppies. 
Onyx  of  three  layers. 

The  young  Germanicus.  Onyx  cameo  of  two  layers, 
inscribed  EHITYrX. 

Claudius  Drusus,  full- face.     Cameo  on  onyx. 

Bust  of  the  young  Tiberius,  full-face.  Onyx  of  two 
layers. 

Head  of  Drusilla,  sister  of  Caligula.  Onyx  of  three 
layers. 

Bust  of  the  Empress  Messalina.  Fragment  of  a  large  onyx 
cameo  of  three  layers. 


152  ANTIQUE  GEMS 


Head  of  Claudius.     Onyx  of  three  layers. 

Bust  of  Elagabulus.     Onyx  of  three  layers. 

Bust  of  Carus.     Onyx  of  three  layers. 

Bust  of  the  elder  Licinius,  full-face,  in  high  relief.  Onyx, 
two  layers. 

Busts  of  Ptolemy  Philadelphus  and  Arsinoe  ;  or  probably 
portraits  of  a  king  and  queen  of  the  Macedonian  period. 
Onyx  of  two  layers. 

Victory  in  a  quadriga.  Circular  onyx  of  three  layers, 
and  nearly  two  inches  in  diameter. 

Pallas  Athene  in  a  biga,  on  her  shield  the  Gorgon.  Oval 
onyx  of  three  layers. 

Satyr  dancing,  brandishing  a  thyrsus.  Oval  onyx,  three 
layers. 

Head  of  Medusa,  cut  out  of  an  amethyst,  measuring  2|- 
in.  by  2  in. 

Victory  driving  a  quadriga.     Oval  onyx  of  five  layers. 

Jupiter,  disguised  as  a  Satyr,  surprising  Antiope.  Onyx, 
two  layers. 

Dramatic  rehearsal ;  three  youths  are  chanting  from  a 
oook,  another  playing  on  the  double  flute,  the  third  beating 
time.  Onyx,  three  layers. 

Centauress  suckling  her  young.     Onyx,  broken. 

Lion  seizing  a  horse.     Onyx,  two  layers. 

Horse.     Onyx,  two  layers. 

Fragment  of  a  winged  Pegasus.     Onyx,  three  layers. 

Satyr  giving  drink  to  a  panther.     Onyx,  two  layers. 

Comic  mask.     Onyx. 

Head  of  Silenus.     Sard. 

INTAGLI. 
Head  of  Hercules,  inscribed  TNAIOC.     Beryl. 


IN  THE  B  LAC  AS  COLLECTION'.  153 

Head  of  Medusa,  inscribed  2OAQNOC.  1^  in.  in  length 
by  1  in.  diam.  Grey  chalcedony. 

Mask  of  Pan,  inscribed  2KYAAE.     Amethyst. 

Head  of  Medusa.     Sard. 

Head  of  Medusa.     Amethyst. 

Head  of  ^Esculapius,  inscribed  AYAOY.     Sard. 

Bust  of  Victory.     Sard. 

Terpsichore,  standing,  tuning  her  lyre,  and  backed  by  a 
cippus  supporting  a  statuette,  inscribed  AAAIITNOC. 
Nicolo. 

Apollo  Citharoedus,  his  right  elbow  resting  on  a  small 
draped  female  figure  ;  deeply  cut  on  a  beautiful  hyacinthine 
garnet. 

Achilles,  seated  in  his  tent,  playing  the  lyre,  inscribed 
HAM^IAOY.  Sardoine. 

Seated  Sphinx,  scratching  her  ear  with  her  hind  paw, 
inscribed  0AMYPOY.  Sard. 

Hercules  Bibax,  inscribed  AAMIUN.     Golden  sard. 

Young  Faun,  front  face.     Essonite. 

Bacchante  overpowered  by  the  influence  of  her  god, 
and  attempting  to  stay  herself  by  catching  an  amphora. 
Sard. 

Bust  of  Melpomene,  contemplating  a  mask.     Sard. 

Dolon  grasping  the  knees  of  Ulysses  whilst  Diomede  is 
about  to  strike  off  his  head,  inscribed  HEIOY.  Sard. 

Mounted  hunter,  inscribed  XPYClC.     Sard. 

Meleager  attacking  the  Calydonian  boar.  Banded 
agate. 

Triangular  amulet;  on  one  side  Eros  and  Anteros;  on  the 
reverse  two  Sirens,  one  playing  on  the  lyre,  the  other  on 
the  double  flute.  Sard. 

Horse  grazing.     Black  agate. 

Lion  looking  to  the  front.     Nicolo. 


154  ANTIQUE  GEMS 


HISTORICAL  PORTRAITS  IN  INTAGLIO. 

Perseus,  King  of  Macedon.     Lapis-lazuli. 

Juba  II.,  King  of  Mauretania.     Sard. 

Head,  attributed  to  Jugurtha.     Yellow  sard. 

Head,  wrongly  ascribed  to  Rhremetalkes,  King  of  Pontus, 
inscribed  AMXE>O.  Black  jasper. 

Julius  Cassar,  full  face,  inscribed  AIO2KOPIAO2.  Hya- 
cinthine  garnet. 

Julius  Caesar.     Sardoine. 

Livia  Augusta,  her  head  veiled,  and  wheat-crowned  as  a 
Ceres  ;  surrounded  by  seven  groups  in  relief  of  objects,  the 
recognized  attributes  of  all  the  other  goddesses.  Agate 
onyx. 

Livia,  with  the  attributes  of  Ceres,  in  a  car  drawn  by 
elephants.  Yellow  sard. 

Portraits  of  Germanicus  and  Agrippina,  held  up  by  a 
Victory.  Onyx. 

Galba.     Sard. 

Vespasian.     Sard. 

Hadrian.     Sard. 

Sabina,  inscribed  ANTIOXIC.     Sard. 

Heads  of  Commodus  and  Hercules.     Sard. 

Caracalla  ;  on  the  reverse  Plautilla.     Nicolo. 

Called  Caracalla,  but  supposed  with  more  probability  to 
be  Galerius  Maximian  ;  2  in.  by  1|  in.  Onyx,  two  layers. 

Head  of  Gordian.     Sard. 

Heads  of  Carinus  and  Magnia  Urbica.     Red  jasper. 

Silanus  and  Messalina.     Red  jasper. 

Plato  with  Psyche-wings  attached  to  his  temples,  and 
represented  as  a  terminal  bust.  Sardoine. 

Horace.     In  the  field  the  letter  H.     Yellow  quartz. 

Herodes  Atticus.     Sard. 

Posidonius.     Sard. 


IN  THE  B  LAC  AS  COLLECTION.  155 

ETRUSCAN  AND  ARCHAIC  SCARAB^EI. 

Herakles  slaying  Kyknos,  inscribed  HEPKAE  KYKNE  in 
Etruscan  characters.  Burnt  sard. 

Herakles  approaching  the  warm  springs  of  Himera,  indi- 
cated by  a  stream  issuing  from  a  lion's  mouth.  Burnt 
amethyst. 

Herakles  seated  on  the  funeral  pile.     Banded  agate. 

Kapaneus  struck  by  a  thunderbolt,  kneeling  on  one  knee  ; 
on  the  back  of  the  Scarabseus,  in  low  relief,  a  male  figure, 
from  whose  left  arm  hangs  a  vase.  Banded  agate. 

A  warrior  kneeling,  armed  with  a  bow  and  club  ;  a  ser- 
pent approaches  to  bite  his  foot.  This  figure  has  been  called 
Orion.  Sard. 

Patroklos  taking  leave  of  Achilles  on  going  to  battle. 
Sard. 

Herakles  and  Hermes.     Sard. 

Wounded  warrior  at  the  feet  of  another  warrior,  im- 
ploring his  life.  Banded  agate. 

Ulysses,  entering  his  house,  is  recognized  by  his  dog. 
Sard. 

Apollo  holding  out  a  faun.     Sard. 

Apollo  Hyakinthios.     Sard. 

Hermes  kneeling  on  a  tortoise.     Sard. 

Tantalus  trying  to  drink.     Sard. 
'  Danaides  carrying  water-pitchers.     Sard. 

Sisyphus.     Sard. 

Head  of  the  Indian  Bacchus.     Green  jasper. 


DEVONSHIRE  GEMS.1 


AMONG  the  most  remarkable  antique  gems  in  the  Devon- 
shire Parure  are  the  following  : — 

THE  COMB. 

Head  of  Leander.     Onyx  cameo. 
Bacchante  and  Centaur.     Onyx  cameo. 
Bust  of  King  Shahpur.     Intaglio.     Amethyst. 
Faun  dancing  a  young  faun.     Onyx  cameo. 


THE  STOMACHER. 

Head  of  Silenus.     Garnet  cameo. 

Head  of  Medusa.     Hyacinthiue  garnet.     Cameo. 

Hercules  strangling  the  giant  Antaeus.  Intaglio.  Hya- 
cin thine  garnet. 

Tiberius,  sitting  on  a  throne  by  the  side  of  a  veiled 
female,  presenting  a  sword  to  a  warrior  (Drusus)  who  stands 
before  him.  Onyx  cameo. 

1  See  Frontispiece. 


DEVONSHIRE  GEMS.  157 

The  Emperor  Alexander.     Agathe-onyx  cameo. 
Mars.     Lapis-lazuli. 

Clotho,  the  youngest  of  the  three  Fates.     Onyx  cameo. 
Ganymede  feeding  an  eagle.     Intaglio.     Sard. 
Head  of  Cupid.     Intaglio.     Sard. 


THE  BANDEAU. 

Faun  crowned  with  vine.     Intaglio.     Ruby. 
Head  of  Augustus.     Intaglio.     Sapphire. 
Head  of  Medusa.     Cameo.     Emerald. 
Diomed  stealing  the  Palladium,  inscribed  AIO2KOYPIAOY. 
Intaglio.     Sard. 

Minerva  Victrix.     Intaglio.     Plasma. 

Head  of  Silenus.     Cameo.     Hyacinthine  garnet. 

Venus  and  Cupid.     Ruby. 


THE  BRACELET. 
Terpsichore  tuning  a  lyre.     Intaglio.     Garnet. 

THE  NECKLACE. 

Daedalus.     Intaglio.     Sard. 

Head  of  ^Esculapius.     Intaglio.     Garnet. 

Julia  Sabina,  wife  of  Hadrian.     Intaglio.     Garnet. 

Venus  Victrix.     Onyx  cameo. 

The  Emperor  Tiberius.     Onyx  cameo. 

Head  of  Mars.     Intaglio.     Sard. 

Head  of  Apollo.     Intaglio.     Sard. 


158  DEVONSHIRE  GEMS. 


THE  DIADEM. 

Head  of  Socrates.     Intaglio.     Sard. 

Apollo  with  the  lyre.     Intaglio.     Garnet. 

Lion.     Cameo.     Onyx. 

Emperor  Commodus.     Cameo.     Onyx. 

A  figure  in  a  chariot  with  two  horses.2     Cameo. 

A  figure  in  a  chariot  with  two  horses.     Cameo  onyx. 

Dancing  figure  of  a  Bacchante.     Intaglio.     Sard. 


THE  CORONET. 

Bust  of  Clytia.     Cameo.     Onyx. 

A  Dancing  Bacchante.     Intaglio.     Sard. 

The  Emperor  Severus.     Cameo.     Amethyst. 

Head  of  Hercules.     Intaglio.     Lapis-lazuli. 

Head  of  Apollo.     Intaglio.     Amethyst. 

Achilles  at  the  tomb  of  Patroclus.     Intaglio.     Sard. 


Among  those  exhibited  at  the  South  Kensington  Museum, 
at  the  Loan  Exhibition,  1872,  the  following  are  the  most 
remarkable  : — 

Theseus  standing  regarding  his  father's  sword.  Intaglio. 
Sard. 

Scylla  slaying  a  mariner.     Sard. 

Achilles  Citharosdus,  inscribed  HAM^IAOY.     Sard. 


2  The  ground  dark  ;  one  of  the  horses  of  a  bluish  tinge,  the  other 
horse  brown  and  white,  with  the  mane  blue ;  the  figure  is  blue  with 
brown  drapery. 


DEVONSHIRE  GEMS.  159 

Diomede,   master  of  the   Palladium,  inscribed  TNAIO2. 
Banded  agate. 

Muse  seated  in  a  chair,  tuning  her  lyre.     Sard. 

Tiberius,  when  young.     Sard. 

A  cow  lying  down,  inscribed  AIIOAAONIAOY.     Onyx. 


THE  following  extract  from  The  Times,  of  Sept.  25,  may 
prove  not  uninteresting  to  readers  of  this  Manual : — "  A 
valuable  addition  has  just  been  made  to  the  collection  of 
gems  in  the  British  Museum,  through  the  acquirement  by 
purchase  of  a  splendid  specimen  of  the  Zircon  or  Jacinth. 
It  cost  upwards  of  700/.,  and  is  no  larger  than  a  common 
garden  pea.  It  is  one  of  the  finest  known.  It  flashes  and 
glows  with  a  red  lustre  which  seems  to  denote  the  actual 
presence  of  fire  and  flame."  A  notice  has,  however,  since 
appeared  in  The  Times  to  say  that  the  price  was  not  more 
than  70/. 

We  are  in  a  position  to  state,  on  the  best  authority,  that 
this  Jacinth  weighs  about  3  carats,  and  cost  121. 


INDEX. 


Achates,  108, 

Adamas,  58. 

w?Egyptilla,  104. 

Agalmatolite,  35. 

Agate,  47,  102,  108. 

Agate  of  the  Salute  Chapelle,98. 

Agathe-onyx,  46. 

Alabaster,  132. 

Almandine  ruby,  18,  66. 

garnet,  21,  72. 

Amazon  stone,  31,  79. 

Amber,  55,  117. 

Amethyst,  40,  86. 

Amethystus,  86. 

Anthracites,  85. 

"Avepat,  71. 

Aquamarine,  25. 

Asteria,  17,  66. 

Astrion,  65. 

Astrobolos,  110. 

Augustus  (Blacas  cameo),  101. 

Austrian  diamond,  7. 

Avanturine,  42,  90. 

Azurite,  53,  114. 

Balas  ruby,  18,  66. 
Banded  agate,  46,  103. 
Basalt,  134. 
Basanites,  134. 
Beli-oculus,  104. 
Bel-occhio,  50. 
Berguem,  Louis  van,  5. 


Beryl,  25,  70. 
Beryllus,  70. 
Black  jasper,  111. 
Black  tourmaline,  30. 
Blue  crystal,  41. 
Blue  topaz,  26. 
Blue  tourmaline,  30. 
Bohemian  garnet,  21. 
Bort,  9. 
Brazilian  diamonds,  2. 

sapphire,  26. 

ruby,  27. 

emerald,  30. 

Brecciated  agate,  49. 
Brilliants,  4. 
Brunswick  vase,  101. 

Cabochon,  17. 
Cacholong,  39. 
Callais,  81. 
Callaina,  81. 
Camei,  97. 
Cameo,  Carpegna,  98. 

of  the  Sainte  Chapelle 

98. 

of  Vienna,  98. 

Marlborough,  99. 

Farnese,  100. 

Gonzaga,  100. 

Augustus,  101. 

Cape  diamonds,  3. 
Carbuncle,  21. 


162 


INDEX. 


Carbunculus  Indie  us,  62. 
Carbunculus  garamanticus,  62, 
71. 
Carbonado,  9. 
Carchedonia,  72. 
Carchesium  of  St.  Denis,  100. 
Carnelian,  44,  91. 
Carpegna,  cameo,  98. 
Cat's  eye,  50,  110. 
Ceraunia,  66. 
Chalcedony,  43,  106. 
Chalcedonyx,  45,  101. 
Chalchituitl,  31,  81. 
Chalco-smaragdus,  68. 
Chatoyant  sapphire,  17. 
Chessylite,  53. 
Chryselectrum,  74. 
Chryselectri,  89. 
Chrysoberyl,  19,  65. 

Egyptian  jasper,  51. 
Eleuchi  (pearls),  123. 
5E\e>os  opvKrbs,  83. 
En  cabochon,  17. 
Engraved  diamonds,  5. 
'Hpa/cXem  \iOos,  115. 
Essonite,  21,  74. 
Euclase,  25. 
Eumithres,  80. 
Exaluminatge  (pearls),  123. 
Eye  agate,  49. 
Eye  onyx,  104. 

False  topaz,  41. 
Felspar,  31,  35. 
Female  sapphire,  13. 

_  _     ,    rnmnt^    ^° 

sandastros,  96. 
Fortification  agate,  49. 

Gagates,  116. 
Garnet,  20,  71. 
Gemma  Augustea,  98. 
Gemme  di  Vesuvio,  32. 
Girasol,  39. 

Chrysolite,  27,  74. 
Hrvlnn    20 

Orinnfnl     1Q 

Chrysolithus,  65,  89. 
Chrysoprase,  50,  80. 
Chrysoprasius,  76,  79. 
Chrysopteron,  75. 
Cinnamon  stone,  21,  41. 
Citrine,  42,  65,  90. 
Coral,  56,  121. 
Corallis,  111. 
Corallium,  121. 
Cornaline,  44. 
Corundum,  10. 
Craterites,  89. 
Crocidolite,  31. 
Crown  of  the  moon,  6. 
Crystal,  40,  85. 
Crystallus,  85. 
Cylinders,  107,  114,  116, 
Cymophane,  19,  66. 

Darnley  jewel,  13. 
Darya-i-noor,  6. 
Dendrachates,  108. 
Diamond,  1,  62. 
Diopside,  32. 
Dioptase,  52,  68. 

Egyptian  emerald,  67. 

Golden  opal,  38. 
Gonzaga  cameo,  100. 
Gorgonia,  122. 
Granite,  136. 
Green  avanturine,  42,  91. 
Green  jasper,  69,  112. 
chalcedony,  46,  50,  106. 
felspar,  31. 
jargoon,  76. 
tourmaline,  30. 

Guarnaccino,  21. 

Hammichrysos,  91. 
Harlequin  opal,  38. 
Heliotrope,  47,  106. 
Heliotropium,  113. 
Heemachates,  119. 
Haematite,  52,  114. 
Hsematitis,  114. 
Hope  diamond,  8. 
Hyacinth,  29,  74,  77. 
Hyacinthus,  63. 

INDEX. 


163 


Hyacinthine  garnet,  21,  74,  77. 

Marcasite,  32. 

sard,  93. 

Margarita,  122. 

Hyalite,  39. 

Marlborough  cameo,  99. 

Hydrophane,  39,  85. 

Matrix  of  opal,  39,  84. 

Hyperstene,  32. 

Mattam  diamond,  6. 

Matura  diamond,  28. 

Idocrase,  33. 

Melichrysos,  76. 

Indian  diamond,  2. 

Minas  novas,  27. 

Indian  emeralds,  24. 

Mithrax,  84. 

°ard   91 

Mocha  stone,  49,  109. 

Mogul  diamond,  5. 

Indicolite,  30. 

Molochites,  112. 

lolite,  30,  64. 

Moonstone,  31,  78. 

Iris,  42,  90. 

Morio,  74. 

Jacinth,  29,  74,  77,  159. 
Jacut,  29,  64. 

Moss  agate,  49,  109. 
Murrhina,  124. 

Jade,  33,  80,  81. 

Nassack  diamond,  8. 

Jadeite,  34,  81. 

Nephrite,  33,  80. 

Jargoon,  28,  29,  76,  77. 

Nicolo,  46,  104. 

Jasper,  50,  110. 

Nilion,  80. 

Jaspis,  106. 

Noble  serpentine,  33. 

of  India,  106. 

aerizusa,  106. 

Obsidian,  35,  115. 

terebinthyusa,  106. 
monogrammos,  107. 
Jasper  onyx,  46,  94. 

Obsidianum,  115. 
Odescalchi  cameo,  100. 
Odontolite,  37,  83. 

Jasper  agate,  46. 

Olivine,  18. 

Jasp-onyx,  103. 
Jaspro  sanguineo,  51. 

"O|U<J>a£,  105. 

Onyx,  44,  102,  132. 

Jet,  56,  116. 

Opal,  38,  83. 

Kimmeridge  coal  money,  117. 
Koh-i  noor,  8. 
Kyanite,  31. 

Opalescent  diamond,  3. 
sapphire,  17. 
Opaline,  43. 
Opalus,  83. 

Labradorite,  35. 
Lapis  lazuli,  32,  77. 
Lasque  diamonds,  4. 
Leucachates,  106. 

Ophites,  135. 
Oriental  topaz,  16,  65. 
amethyst,  16,  63. 
emerald  16  68 

Leucopthalmos,  104. 

aquamarine,  17. 

Lux  sapphire,  16. 

^^  t  9l' 

Lychnis,  66. 

fL-^r^i/oT,  '01 

Lyncurium,  76. 

•                nardonvx  96 

Magnes,  114. 

Magnetite,  52,  114. 

Orloff  diamond,  6. 

Malachite,  53,  114. 

Male  sapphire,  13. 

Pearl,  54,  122. 

carbunculus,  62. 

Peridot,  27,  75. 

garnets,  72, 

Pietra  d'Egitto,  81. 

sandastros,  79. 

Piggott  diamond,  8. 

M   2 


164 


INDEX. 


Pink  topaz,  27. 
Pitt  diamond,  7. 
Plasma,  46,  105. 

di  smeraldo,  47,  105. 

Poenamu,  34. 
Porcelain  jasper,  52. 
Porcellanite,  52. 
Porphyrites,  135. 

leptosephos,  134. 

Porphyry,  135. 
Prase,  43,  106. 
Prasius,  105, 113. 

sangnineis  punctis,106. 

Precious  garnet,  20. 

opal,  38. 

spinel,  18. 

Punctum  lapidis,  60. 
Purpura,  131. 
Pyrope,  21. 

Quartz  vitreous,  40. 

chalcedonic,  43. 

jaspery,  50. 

violet,  40. 

yellow,  41,  89. 

rose,  41. 

smoky,  42. . 

iridescent,  84. 

Eed  chalcedony,  44. 
jasper,  111. 

sapphire,  10. 

Kegent  diamond,  7. 
Eibbon  agate,  49. 

jasper,  51. 

Eock  crystal,  40. 
Eose  diamond,  4. 

quartz,  41. 

Rosso  antico,  135. 
Eubasse,  42. 
Eubellite,  29. 
Eubicelle,  18. 
Euby,  10,  62. 

of  the  Shah  of  Persia,  11. 

Sandaresos,  91. 
Sandastros  (male),  79. 

(female),  96. 

Sangenon,  84. 
Sappheiros,  15. 
Sapphirus,  77. 


Sapphire,  13,  63. 

white,  15. 

yellow,  16,  65. 

violet,  16. 

green,  16. 

star,  17,  65. 

girasol,  17. 

chatoyant,  17. 

opalescent,  17. 

d'eau,  30. 

de  France,  41. 

Sapphirine,  43, 106. 
Sarcophagus,  133,  135. 

Sard,  44,  48,  91. 

Sardachates,  109. 

Sardius,  91. 

Sardoine,  44,  93. 

Sardonyx,  45,  94. 

Scarabsei,  108,  112,  114,    115, 
116,  134,  135,  137. 

Schorl,  30. 

Selenite,  36,  79. 

Selenitis,  79. 

Serpentine,  135. 

Sicilian  agate,  48,  108. 

jasper,  51. 

Siderite,  29. 

Siriam  garnet,  21. 

Smaragdus,  67. 

Scythian,  18,  67. 

Bactrian,  67. 

• Egyptian,  67. 

medicus,  114. 

Smaragdachates,  109. 

Smoky  quartz,  42. 

Solis  gemma,  78. 

Sphragis,  112. 

Spinel  ruby,  18,  62. 

Spinels,  18. 

Star  of  the  South,  8. 

of  South  Africa,  8. 

sapphire,  17,  65. 

ruby,  17. 

garnet,  21,  73. 

Steatite,  36. 

Succinum,  117. 

Sun  opal,  39. 

Sunstone,  31,  79,  91. 

Syenites,  136. 

Syrtites,  72. 


INDEX. 


165 


Tanos,  81. 
Tazza  Farnese,  100. 
Terebinthyusa  (jaspis),  106. 
Topaz,  26. 
oriental,  26. 
occidental,  26. 
blue,  26. 
white,  27. 

Unio  (pearl),  123. 
Venneille,  21. 

Water  sapphire,  18,  30. 
White  carnelian,  43. 
topaz,  27. 
sapphire,  15. 

yellow,  26. 

rn'nlr    °7 

false,  41. 
Topazios,  74 

Yellow  Beryl,  25. 
chalcedony,  108. 
crystal,  41,  89,  90. 

Tourmaline,  29. 
red  °9 

jasper,  111. 

green,  30. 
blue,  30. 
—                  yellow  30 

sard,  93. 
topaz,  26. 

5jiTVrm    28    1  'iQ 

Turquoise,  36,  81. 

Zoned  agate,  49. 

LONDON : 

GILBERT  AND  RIVINGTON,  PRINTERS, 
ST.  JOHN'S  SQUARE. 


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